PW September 2025

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Change is sweeping across the packaging industry. Beyond sustainability, trends include the rise of 2D barcodes, the growth of flexible and e-comm packaging, and continued adoption of robotics in packaging automation.

FEATURES

38 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Bridging the Gap: Building the Future Workforce of U.S. Manufacturing

Experts say the manufacturing sector is transforming unlike anything they’ve seen in decades. In this fast-changing-landscape, one challenge is becoming increasingly clear: the widening talent gap.

40 PACKAGING FOR E-COMMERCE

Big Boost in E-Comm Packaging

This footwear company automated labeling, upgraded shrink wrapping, and tied it all together with smooth-running conveyor systems to increase throughput by 556%.

48

PRS 2025 Captures

Pivotal Moment in Circularity

Packaging World’s 2025 Packaging Recycling Summit marks a turning point in circularity, as brands, policymakers, suppliers, MRFs, and industry organizations move from intention to implementation across systems, formats, and policies.

88

Soules Foods Serves as Proving Ground for Breakthrough Robotics

When the packaging team at Soules Foods saw its new case packing system in action for the first time, the reaction was unanimous: this was not just another automation upgrade. According to the company, it was something different—more compact and more intelligent than anything they’d seen before.

ROBOTICS IN PACKAGING

What happens when you bring line workers into the robotic automation conversation? And how is AI impacting robot deployment? The 2025 Packaging World Robotics Report investigates rapidly evolving developments in packaging automation, including the latest robotic products.

• 98 Top-Down or Bottom-Up? Blend Both for Automation Success

• 112 AI’s Impact on Robotics in Packaging: Smart Automation Meets Real-World Productivity

• 122 AI-Driven Robotics Help Cafe Spice Leap Over Labor and Line Hurdles

• 126 Packaging Robotics Technologies: Special Products Section

164 SPECIAL REPORT: Rise of 2D Barcodes

Inside Sunrise 2027: Packaging’s Role in the Digital Shelf Revolution

From serialized 2D barcodes to data-rich packaging and traceability tech, GS1 Connect 2025 showcased how CPGs, retailers, and suppliers are aligning to turn packaging into a gateway for trust, transparency, and transformation.

• 166 RFID-Tagged Corrugated Gains Momentum in Recycling, EPR Compliance

• 170 Wegmans on Board with 2D Barcodes; Kenvue Will be Ready

Looking to discover what’s new in packaging and processing? This at-a-glance guide gives you the essential details of what’s happening at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025, the ultimate packaging and processing event this year.

• 176 Walmart, Brands Leverage Variable Label Data for FSMA 204

• 182 Why Sunrise 2027, 2D Barcodes, Won’t be Optional for Brands

• 186 Packaging Equipment Suppliers Want Brands to Start Preparing for Sunrise 2027

• 188 Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico Shows Packaging’s Frontline Role in 2D Barcode Ascendency

• 194 Sunrise 2027, Amazon’s Transparency Program, Rewrite Product Packaging Rules

• 198 How Wakefern Uses Off-Pack Data to Serve Wellness-Driven Shoppers

DEPARTMENTS

VIDEO

Learn how shoe producer Weyco increased e-comm packaging throughput by 556%. pwgo.to/8886

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Jan Brücklmeier Technical Application Group Packaging Technology Expert, Nestlé

M. Shawn French Director – Innovation & Packaging Engineering (Beverage), Danone North America

Patrick Keenan R&D Packaging Engineer, General Mills/Annie’s Organic Snacks

Tim Lehman Sr. Engineering Manager, Supply Chain, GOJO Industries, makers of Purell

Mike Marcinkowski Director of R&D Material Science, Packaging & Sustainability – Nature’s Vault/Fesh Loop

Shannon Moore Director Global R&D Packaging Sustainability, Kellanova

Andrew Seys Senior Director, Global Operational Excellence, Spectrum Brands

David Smith, PhD Principal, David S. Smith & Associates

Brian Stepowany Packaging R&D, Senior Manager, B&G Foods, Inc.

VIDEO

Watch the packaging line in action at Soules Foods, including commentary from stakeholders. pwgo.to/8881

VIDEO

Browse through all Packaging Recycling Summit sessions, free to watch on video. pwgo.to/8892

CONTENT

Matt Reynolds Chief Editor

Anne Marie Mohan Senior Editor

Sean Riley Senior News Director

Casey Flanagan Associate Editor

Kim Overstreet Director of Content

Pat Reynolds, Sterling Anthony, Eric F. Greenberg Contributing Editors

David Bacho Creative Director

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Atom-thin Barriers & Digital-first Twins

The pace of change in packaging seems relentless these days. We discuss various leaps forward throughout this issue, from the latest in extended producer responsibility and circularity on page 48, to the application of artificial intelligence in packaging robotics on page 98, to the digitalization of on-pack labels via 2D barcodes on page 164. You’re sure to find examples all over PACK EXPO Las Vegas later this month.

Some technologies are tactile, material-based solutions you can hold in your hand; others exist purely in the digital realm, influencing how brands create, present, and manage packaging in an omnichannel world. Two recent developments—one from a Dutch barrier-film pioneer and another from one of the world’s largest CPGs—illustrate how wide the innovation spectrum has become.

When Kraft Heinz went hunting for a breakthrough in flexible packaging performance, it wasn’t interested in just incremental gains. At this year’s Rethinking Materials Summit in London, the CPG found its standout in Kalpana Systems’ super-spatial atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology—a way to deposit ultra-thin barrier coatings only a couple of nanometers thick.

“What if you did not have to choose between sustainability and performance when it comes to selecting your flexible packaging materials?” asked Sandra Wiegman, director, MA R&D Fellow, packaging R&D, Kalpana, during her pitch. “We want to turn this vision into a reality… [Our] ultrathin barrier coatings… allow the base material to keep its recyclability while still delivering the barrier performance that we need.”

For Kraft Heinz, which manages a vast portfolio with varied shelf-life demands, the potential was obvious. “Kalpana System’s submission was a real showstopper for us,” said Kim Bertens, packaging lead, R&D, Emerging and Developed Markets, Kraft Heinz. “What impressed the judges most… was its customized barrier solution that could potentially deliver against a range of shelflife requirements. This was a game-changer for us, as it offered a high degree of flexibility and adaptability across our diverse portfolio of products.”

By delivering water vapor transmission rates down to 0.001 grams/sq m/day with a mere 20-nanometer layer, the technology hints at a future where sustainability and high-performance barriers need not be mutually exclusive.

If Kalpana’s innovation is all about enhancing packaging materials, Nestlé’s latest advance focuses on how packaging is presented, adapted, and deployed in a digital-first retail landscape. The company is rolling out an in-house AI-powered content service built on digital twins—high-fidelity 3D virtual replicas of physical products, developed on Nvidia Omniverse in OpenUSD.

For Nestlé brands like Purina, Nescafé Dolce Gusto, and Nespresso, this means packaging designs can be updated, localized, or tailored for seasonal campaigns without reshooting photography or video. Nestlé already has 4,000 products converted into digital twins, with a target of 10,000 in two years, cutting time and costs for asset creation by more than 70%.

“We want to connect with consumers where they are and how they want, with the right message at the right time,” said David Rennie, head of strategic Business Units, Marketing and Sales at Nestlé. “That means providing engaging content in multiple formats to fit the wide variety of online media platforms… Our new content organization means we can do more with the talented teams we have… This is a big step forward in our journey to reimagine content creation and deliver exceptional digital experiences.”

What links these two very different innovations is the recognition that packaging is no longer only a container (though it still needs to accomplish that primary mission). But now, packaging can also be a strategic touchpoint—dynamic and changeable in form—and a data collector. For Kraft Heinz, ALD technology could unlock new sustainable formats without compromising product protection. For Nestlé, digital twins enable rapid, precise control over how packaging is perceived across diverse markets and channels, with granularity down to a household.

In both cases, interest and investments signal that major brand owners are pushing the boundaries, whether atom-by-atom or pixel-by-pixel, to meet the evolving demands of consumers, retailers, and regulators. Innovation is happening at scale outside of our traditional analog human experience, from the sub-microscopic to the virtual. PW

mreynolds@pmmimediagroup.com

RTE Microwavable Rice Bowl uses 25% Bio-based PP

CJ CheilJedang, a global food company headquartered in South Korea, has introduced what it says is a more sustainable packaging solution for its flagship Hetbahn brand of instant white-rice bowls. The new container incorporates 25% certified renewable polypropylene from Sabic’s Truecircle portfolio and is the first of its kind to use bio-based PP in a ready-to-eat rice package in Asia Pacific.

polished in a strict raw material process, cooked the same day, and packed in a sterile environment so that the taste of the rice can be preserved.

The new rice bowls are manufactured through sheet extrusion and subsequent thermoforming using a multilayer sheet that includes Sabic’s food contact-grade PP, supplied by an ISCC Plus–certified converter. The material contains 25% renewable content and offers the same dimensional stability and heat resistance as conventional PP, which is essential for a product designed to be microwaved in its container.”

Launched in 1996, Hetbahn is one of the leading brands in the cooked rice category and has helped shift consumer perceptions around Korean rice meal culture. The name, which means “freshly harvested and cooked rice,” now extends beyond its original product to include porridge, frozen rice, rice with soup, and other convenient offerings. CJ CheilJedang’s rice grain is

Because the bio-based PP is chemically identical to fossil-based PP, it runs on existing equipment with no changes to manufacturing processes, making it an easy drop-in solution. Once used, the bowls can be recycled through rigid PP recycling streams.

The renewable material is derived from second-generation feedstocks such as tall oil, a byproduct of the wood pulping process that does not compete with food resources. Its use is certified through a mass balance approach, which ensures traceability throughout the supply chain. According to a life-cycle analysis from SABIC, each kilogram of its bio-based PP can help capture up to four kilograms of CO? compared to fossil-based alternatives and reduces fossil resource depletion by as much as 80%.

Says Grace Kim, VP of global business at CJ CheilJedang, the change aligns with the company’s broader Nature to Nature sustainability roadmap. “We’re committed to finding solutions that reduce our environmental footprint and create meaningful impact, without compromising on product safety or quality,” she says. “By working with SABIC and using their renewable materials in our Hetbahn packaging, we’re taking a real step toward that goal.”

The new bowl has been on the market since 2024 and has already received positive feedback from consumers. While the company currently uses 25% renewable content, CJ CheilJedang says it is exploring ways to scale its use of bio-based materials across additional product lines in the future. —Anne Marie Mohan

Aldi Adopts ‘World’s First’ Aluminum-free Full Barrier Aseptic Cartons

In parts of Germany, Aldi will offer grape juice under its own brand Rio d’Oro in SIG’s new 1-L aseptic carton packs made of SIG Terra Alu-free, a full-barrier packaging material. By choosing this packaging format, Aldi and SIG say that it will reduce the carbon footprint compared to the conventional multi-serve cartons by 29%. The products are produced and filled at the Italian beverage and food producer Quargentan, using the contract manufacturer and packager’s existing SIG Midi 12 Aseptic filling machine.

Terra Alu-free full barrier packaging material is made from more than 80% paper and replaces the aluminum layer with an ultra-thin polymer coating that protects products against oxygen, light, moisture, and aroma loss, the company says. According to SIG, the new carton format cuts the number of raw materials from three to two and can lower the carbon footprint of multi-serve aseptic cartons by up to 61% when combined with forest-based polymers—without compromising full barrier function, shelf life or filling line performance.

SIG says this is the world’s first full-barrier packaging material for aseptic cartons without an aluminum layer. —Matt Reynolds

Prestone Debuts Pouch to Serve New Cohorts, Cut Plastic

With nearly 100 years of history in its familiar yellow HDPE jug, Prestone is introducing a new 1-qt exible pouch designed to complement—not replace—its agship package. The stand-up pouch offers a smaller format that uses 60% less plastic and features a certi ed child-resistant (CR) spout, with no additional secondary packaging.

While the traditional gallon jug remains in use for full ushand- ll service, this new exible pouch addresses a different consumer need: topping off coolant levels. “This is a new product. It will not be replacing an existing one but complementing our current existing offer,” says Jerome Dujoux, VP of marketing, branding & innovation for PFX Group, Prestone’s brand owner. The smaller format was developed in response to consumer feedback gathered through research by PFX Group, which highlighted preferences among millennials and Gen Z for quick do-it-yourself xes and female consumers for lighter, more manageable packaging. Notably, 61% of millennials surveyed expressed interest in more eco-responsible coolant packaging, compared to 48% of the general population. Excessive plastic use was a recurring concern, especially for a use case like topping off, which often doesn’t require a full gallon.

checks are conducted in-line to ensure seal integrity and closure performance. Once lled, pouches are hand-packed six to a corrugated shipper case, which is then sealed using automatic top-and-bottom RSC tapers and stretch-wrapped onto standard 48- x 40-in GMA pallets. Higher-speed automation options are being evaluated as production scales.

To avoid undermining material reduction goals, no retail-ready secondary packaging is used. Instead, the pouch is designed to be self-standing. Internal testing included drop and handling scenarios to verify stability on retail shelves, even when not precisely merchandised.

To reduce material without sacri cing performance, the pouch is built using a three-layer laminated structure supplied by Zacros. The outer layer is a reverse-printed 48-gauge PET for print quality and visual durability. The middle layer is 60-gauge biaxially oriented nylon, which serves as a barrier and structural support. The inner sealant layer is a 5.5 mil polyethylene lm, chosen for chemical compatibility and seal performance. Proprietary adhesive layers between the lms are designed to hold up to automotive-grade coolant.

To maintain brand recognition on-shelf, the pouch is printed via six-color rotogravure, two-up. The yellow and black graphics closely match Prestone’s established identity and are a key element of continuity between the pouch and the jug. Dujoux emphasizes that brand integrity—including color matching and logo placement—was closely guarded during development.

Beyond graphics, the pouch includes a functional 28-mm spout made of HDPE, supplied by Hoffer Plastics. The spout, with a 21.5-mm inner diameter, is heat-sealed to the pouch and topped with a push-down-and-turn child-resistant cap from Amcor. That closure includes an induction seal, an uncommon feature for CR pouches. Certi cation testing was conducted by Bird Dog Marketing Group in accordance with CPSC 16CFR 1700.20 protocols, con rming child resistance and ease of use by adults aged 50 to 70.

The pouches are lled at PFX’s Cincinnati facility. Arriving pre-made and pre-spouted from Zacros, they are lled through the spout opening. Cap application, induction sealing, and torque

The pouch will be available starting in October, initially launching through AutoZone stores and autozone.com. AutoZone will also ful ll direct-to-consumer orders. Given its smaller footprint and convenience orientation, the format may be suited to additional retail channels in the future, such as gas stations.

The pouch is not recyclable at this stage, though it can be incinerated. Post-consumer recycled (PCR) content is under evaluation. Dujoux frames the development as one step on a longer path toward more sustainable packaging. “Sustainability is a journey. We’re not done,” he says.

Importantly, the product inside the pouch is identical to the formulation in Prestone’s jugs. The company’s Cor-Guard additive package remains intact. “We didn’t compromise the formulation,” says Dujoux. “It’s the same trusted product in a different package.”

The pouch launch is part of a broader innovation campaign at Prestone, which also includes additional packaging updates and a refreshed brand message leading into the company’s 100th anniversary. —Matt Reynolds

Existing 1-gal jug

New 1-qt pouch

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Dutch Juice Producer to use Bio-Based Polymer for Bottles

Dutch juice producer Hoogesteger has signed a conditional offtake agreement with Avantium to begin using bottles made from its Releaf PEF, a 100% plant-based and recyclable polymer. The packaging will be used for Hoogesteger’s fresh cold-pressed juices, which are distributed through Albert Heijn, the Netherlands’ largest supermarket chain.

PEF, or polyethylene furanoate, is made from renewable materials such as sugars from wheat or corn, and offers strong environmental and functional advantages. Accordingt to Avantium, compared to PET, PEF’s oxygen barrier is 10 times better, helping preserve freshness and extend shelf life. Its carbon dioxide barrier is also significantly higher, and its mechanical strength allows for thinner bottles, reducing material use without compromising performance.

Charles Arentsen, CEO of Hoogesteger, says the partnership supports the company’s mission to deliver sustainable, high-quality products. “We are pleased to partner with Avantium to introduce PEF-based bottles for our fresh cold-pressed juices. This collaboration aligns with our mission to deliver high-quality, sustainable products to our customers. We believe that these innovative PEF bottles will enhance the freshness and shelf life of our juices while reducing our environmental footprint.”

Hoogesteger has already made significant strides toward sustainable packaging. In 2023, more than 96% of its bottles were made from recycled PET, and nearly all its secondary packaging used recycled cardboard. The company is also transitioning to washable labels and supporting deposit systems in markets where they operate.

POSITIONING SYSTEMS FOR PACKAGING MACHINES

In February, Avantium unloaded the first volumes of high fructose syrup into the storage tanks at the manufacturing site in Delfzijl in anticipation of the start-up of the FDCA flagship plant.

The PEF bottles from Avantium represent the next step. The Association of Plastic Recyclers as well as RecyClass have recognized multilayer PET bottles with 10% or less PEF as a middle layer as compatible with the PET recycling stream.

Avantium’s PEF is produced using its patented YXY technology, which converts plant sugars into FDCA, the building block of the polymer. The company is currently commissioning the world’s first commercial-scale FDCA plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The facility will produce 5 kilotons annually, with bottles for Hoogesteger expected to hit shelves in the second half of 2025.

The Hoogesteger collaboration is part of a growing number of PEF-based packaging applications at Albert Heijn, which already includes salad bowls with Royal Vezet and juice bottles with Refresco. —Anne Marie Mohan

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 Compact actuators for fully automated changeover – ideal for frequent positioning and high quality requirements

 Easy upgrade options due to mechanical compatibility of all SIKO positioning systems

Cold-soluble Coffee Crystals use Compostable Pod

Mad Coffee is a new, concept-proving consumer brand launched by Genecis Bioindustries Inc. that is now available nationwide at retailer Sprouts. The venture is a follow-up to another conceptprover from the bio-engineering company called Mad Tea. That ended up being $1 million brand in less than six months. Once again with Mad Coffee, packaging and sustainability play starring roles.

In this case, Genecis engineers a specific bacteria to make the biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) plastic that forms the basis of these instant coffee pods. The complete material composition is PHA, plus polylactic acid (PLA) and bio-based polybutylene succinate adipate (BioPBS). The pods are now industrially compostable and certified as such by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), but the longer-term goal is home/backyard compostability.

Mad Tea was a Nespresso-compatible pod play, but Mad Coffee is an instant coffee that the consumer simply blends by hand. Luna Yu, CEO of Genecis and Mad Coffee/Tea, says it’s world’s first cold soluble crystalized coffee, a feat made possible by Genecis’ patented LyoExtract method.

Consumers are asked to pop the compostable cap off the socalled MadPods, remove a heat-sealed aluminum lid, and pour the crystalized coffee into cold water for an instant cold coffee.

The Mad Coffee consumer brands play may end up being a hit and scale on its own, as was the case with predecessor Mad Tea. But the idea is for existing beverage brand owners to commercialize the concept. Mad Coffee can contract manufacture/ contract package for a brand, or they could supply one the unique pods. —Matt Reynolds

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Prestige Skincare Revamped with Refillable Systems, PCR

Nu Skin is proving that prestige skincare packaging can be both beautiful and better for the planet. With the relaunch of its ageLOC Tru Face line, the global beauty and wellness company has replaced heavy glass and single-use plastics with sleek refillable systems and has added post-consumer recycled content to some of its plastic packaging, all without compromising the premium look and feel consumers expect.

According to Hillary Tipton, director of product scale up and commercialization at Provo, Utahbased Nu Skin, the ageLOC Tru Face line was launched over 10 years ago, and much of the packaging hadn’t changed since then. “The original designs were bulky and outdated. We knew we could do better for both our customers and the environment,” she says. “We had an excellent opportunity to update the products while maintaining their premium look and feel, making them more sustainable and reducing COG’s [cost of goods sold].”

The packaging overhaul reflects a milestone in Nu Skin’s broader sustainability goals. In 2019, the company publicly committed to making all packaging sustainable by 2030 through one of the five R’s: Recycled, Recyclable, Reusable, Reduced, and Renewable. Tipton says they’re now ahead of schedule. “We’re on track to reach that goal this year,” she says. “We’ve been implementing changes steadily, using PCR, responsibly sourced paper, and bio-resins, and the Tru Face relaunch is a big part of that progress.”

Nu Skin estimates that the new packaging will save 515,000 pounds of plastic and glass and is expected to reduce emissions by 1,636 tons per year. The refillable packaging for the Peptide Retinol Complex alone will eliminate 572 tons of carbon emissions annually.

The refillable systems are designed for ease and longevity. Bottles include a durable PET outer shell, a 100% PCR polypropylene inner bottle, and a metal-free PP pump with overcap. Jars follow the same format. “The components are designed to be reused multiple times,” Tipton explains. “We recommend replacing the pump every six months for the best experience, but the outer shell is built to last.”

Several products stand out for their environmental performance. The ageLOC Tru Face Essence Ultra (TFEU) serum, which consists of dissolvable pearls, now comes in a reusable jar paired with a refill pouch that weighs just 3.4 g. According to NuSkin, the pouch is 31 times lighter than the original glass jar. Furthermore, it reduces packaging material by 96.8% and saves an estimated 11.8 tons of glass annually, with the beads fully dissolving in water to eliminate waste.

ageLOC Tru Face Future Serum uses a refill system that cuts packaging waste by 72% with each refill and reduces annual packaging waste by an estimated 53%. The inner bottle is made from 100% PCR, and Nu Skin estimates this change alone avoids 56 tons of carbon emissions per year.

The plastic packaging—for Tru Face Line Corrector and Tru Face Radiant Day—is now made from a medium-density PE blend with an EVOH barrier and 35% PCR and a PE tube with 24% PCR, respectively.

According to Tipton, meeting regulatory requirements across global markets was Nu Skin’s biggest challenge. “But we were committed to making these refill systems work everywhere, not just in select regions,” she says. “It’s the right thing to do.

“We want to empower our customers to make more sustainable choices without giving up the experience they love. With Tru Face, they don’t have to choose between luxury and sustainability.”

Nu skin launched its ageLOC Tru Face Peptide Retinol Complex in the refill packaging in 2024; the rest of the new SKUs are scheduled to launch early next year. The products can be purchased through several channels, including Nu Skin’s website, independent distributors, or from retailers like Amazon and Walmart, and more recently, through TikTok shop. —Anne Marie Mohan

Absolut Vodka Adds Glow Effect for Festival-themed Bottles

Absolut, part of the Absolut Group based in Stockholm, Sweden, worked with Tomorrowland, Belgium’s major annual electronic music festival, for a unique bottle design. Absolut says it worked with Tomorrowland’s main stage design team to develop the 2025 fantasy theme “Orbyz,” which features a glow effect for its bottle exteriors.

“This is the first ever limited-edition collection created with Tomorrowland, or any other music partnership for that matter for Absolut. What’s more, for the first time, we’ve worked directly with Tomorrowland’s iconic mainstage design team to co-create three bold bottle designs. And lastly, while Tomorrowland normally keeps its mainstage design under wraps until the festival opens, we had the great honor of becoming the first brand ever to interpret and reveal the annual theme on a commercial product before the festival, making this moment very meaningful to us,” says Deb Dasgupta, global VP marketing, Absolut Vodka.

Each collection’s bottle contains a 360-deg screenprinted design along with frost glow and metallic inks. Dasgupta says the frost glow effect comes from a color property that gets further brought out under specific lighting conditions.

“Our lead supplier is able to provide both effects, so we had an opportunity to work with an experienced team who knows our brand very well, enabling us to achieve the best results,” Dasgupta says. “The effect is in the color. It is the same effect that you have on printed emergency exit signs. They are charged when exposed to light, most effectively under UV-light, and then they glow for a limited amount of time in darkness. Under a blacklight they will glow constantly,” Dasgupta explains.

The teams put the design view, glow, and ink enhancements in place to further bring out the “Orbyz” fantasy theme, a new experience for consumers. The company didn’t reveal any further details about the supplier or inks used. —Chris Smith

“In 25 years, your refrigerator might reorder groceries based on your dietary needs, your medicine cabinet might dispense your prescriptions automatically, and your packaging will need to keep up with all of it. This isn’t science fiction. It’s where we’re headed—and the packaging industry has to be ready.”

–Gillian Garside-Wight, consulting director at Aura, in a presentation at SPC Impact 2025, “Illuminating the Future of Packaging: Macro Trends to 2050”

“For the first time in my lifetime, the definition of ‘recyclable’ is shifting. It’s no longer just about access—it’s about end markets, material volume, data. What used to be voluntary is now regulated. And that shift is happening fast. If we don’t align, we will be left behind.”

–Paul Nowak, executive director of GreenBlue, in his opening remarks at SPC Impact 2025

“Sometimes a box isn’t the best answer. Sometimes it’s a weather-resistant paper bag with a heat-sealed edge and an ergonomic handle—something customers didn’t ask for, but ended up loving. Innovation happens when you listen, when you measure, and when you let customer experience guide sustainable design.”

–Pat Lindner, VP of mechatronics and sustainable packaging at Amazon, in his presentation at SPC Impact 2025, “Reducing Packaging Waste: Amazon’s Innovative Approach to More Sustainable Solutions”

“If you lead with guilt, you lose people. But if you create a moment that feels good—that’s joyful, human, even beautiful—then you’ve changed the story. Sustainability becomes something people want to be part of. That’s how we build new habits. That’s how reuse becomes normal.”

–Amelia Landers, VP of product experience innovation at Starbucks, in an SPC Impact 2025 fireside chat, “Brewing Innovation: How Starbucks is Prioritizing Sustainability One Cup at a Time”

“If any one of the four components of recycling—design, collection, processing, or end market—is missing, then you don’t have recycling. You can collect it and sort it, but if there’s no one using it, it’s not recycling. It’s expensive garbage.”

–Bret Biggers, senior economist at ReMA, in a presentation at SPC Impact 2025, “Harmonizing Packaging Design Guidance in the Paper Space”

Biffa’s Roger Wright on Designing Packaging for Recyclability

Recently

at Rethink Materials,

we sat down with Roger Wright. He has valuable advice for brands on their design for recyclability projects, given he’s the Waste Strategy & Packaging manager at Biffa, the U.K.’s largest Waste Management company.

Packaging World:

Why don’t you start by introducing yourself and sharing what you do at Biffa?

Roger Wright, Biffa:

My name’s Roger Wright. I work for Biffa Waste Management, the largest waste management business in the UK. We cover about 95% of all postcodes, collecting both business and household waste. The business waste sector is the biggest part of our operation, but we also have several other interesting divisions—mechanical recycling of rigid plastics to food-grade quality, hazardous waste management, a packaging compliance business, and a strong innovation team looking across the whole waste infrastructure.

My focus is on packaging design, materials, and waste strategy. I help corporates determine whether to switch materials or rethink their business models, like reuse or take-back schemes. Since we’re a logistics company, we can often handle those solutions for them too. We’ve been involved in a few reuse projects over the past year. I’m fortunate to speak with both businesses and citizens, as well as startups introducing new materials. I call it the “good, the fad, and the ugly”— some materials will stick, others disappear quickly. We also work closely with the U.K. Government to help shape future packaging policy.

And when you say “corporates,” in the U.S. we’d probably say “brand owners” or CPGs—same idea?

Yes—also retailers and large companies across sectors like food retail (e.g., John Lewis/Waitrose), non-food retail (like Dunelm), construction, hospitality (KFC, Costa Coffee), and a variety of others we call indirect partnerships—banks, facilities management, and more. I also spend

about 20% of my time with brand owners like Suntory. For example, we helped Suntory redesign their Ribena bottle to make it easier to recycle. Just today, I saw that Lucozade has followed suit with a similar label change—50% smaller.

Can you walk through that Ribena project?

Suntory approached us because they wanted to acquire our recycled PET feedstock. We said yes but also said that it would be preferable if they also redesigned the Ribena bottle at the same time. The fullsleeve label they used meant the bottles weren’t being collected or recycled effectively. So we collaborated on a redesign, tested it through our systems, and proved it worked. It was a great example of how collaboration can lead to a win-win—improved recyclability and a better-looking product.

Was that a PET bottle with a PE label?

It was a PET bottle with a PP label. The system couldn’t identify it as PET, and it would often end up in residual waste. Suntory recognized the issue and acted on it, which I really respect.

That kind of change can scale across brands. Exactly. They tested it first with Ribena and now extended it to Lucozade. It’s a smart approach.

You’ve also mentioned Polytag and Greyparrot—can you explain how you’re working with those technologies?

We’re already using Greyparrot’s AI and Polytag’s covert labelling to count materials as they pass through our facilities. That data is sent back to retailers to help them track whether products are actually being recycled. Polytag closes the loop—it provides the evidence brands need to understand recycling performance.

Roger Wright (middle and on screen), Waste Strategy & Packaging manager at Biffa, has pointers for CPGs on packaging design.

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And how does the upcoming U.K. deposit return scheme (DRS) affect that?

The DRS, set to launch in two years, will pull PET bottles and aluminium cans out of the mixed recycling stream and collect them separately. That creates two parallel systems—DRS for drinks containers, and our regular MRFs for everything else like trays and films. It’s long overdue, and brands support it because it provides clean material and consumer data. People start to value the material more when they get something back for returning it.

Biffa has over 100 facilities all over the UK to support the sustainable processing of waste through recycling. Image: Chris Henderson via Getty Images.

What about AI sorters in the U.S.—like Glacier and Everest?

We’re trialling similar technology here under the name “Sorted,” using AI and robotics for sorting. You can go manual or automated, or a blend. It’s fascinating tech, and promising.

What’s the state of HolyGrail 2.0 on the continent?

From our perspective, it’s gone quiet. It’s quite similar to Polytag— discrete barcodes embedded in label graphics. We don’t want to install multiple camera systems, so ideally there will be standardization. But it’s tricky to mandate globally due to competition laws.

Any final thoughts for Packaging World readers, many of them brand owners who wrestle with sustainable packaging decisions? First, please collaborate where you can—standardize formats like we’ve done with milk bottles in the U.K. That really improves recycling yields. Second, consider your manufacturing side-streams. Can you bring some of that material back into your packaging? We’re working with P&G in the U.K. on exactly that.

Also, look at post-industrial plastic films—like shrink wrap. In the U.K., retailers collect this and blend it with consumer-collected films from in-store bins. The yield isn’t amazing—around 50%—but it’s better than nothing and brings real value. —Matt Reynolds

FLEXIBILITY

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By Eric F. Greenberg, Attorney-at-law

Legal Things Everywhere, All at Once

Sure, the new Trump administration is doing a lot, but in terms of what might affect packagers, you can’t overlook the flurry of new actions by U.S. states, as well.

While the federal Department of Health and Human Services, and the Make America Healthy Again initiative, both led by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., have issued proposed or actual makeovers of requirements in areas like food composition, drug research and approval, and vaccine policy, a number of states are for the first time issuing new or proposed laws affecting food ingredients, food labels, and packaging materials. This is troubling because trying to sell a product nationwide that has to comply with different and sometimes contradictory state laws can be difficult, expensive, or flat impossible.

Perhaps most relevant for food packaging materials makers and users is the effort in states including New York and Pennsylvania, where bills are making their way through the legislatures that would require food companies to report to the state when their products include substances in food, or in contact with food, on the basis of the company’s own conclusion that the use is Generally Recognized As Safe.

The current federal law and regulations allow such self-GRAS conclusions, but opponents of that legal right have actively tried to undo it for years. The opponents couldn’t convince FDA to change the program, lost in court with claims that FDA couldn’t allow such conclusions and still assure food safety, and have not yet convinced the U.S. Congress to change the law (though there are new proposals to do just that). So now, the opponents have decided to make life tough in key states.

Meanwhile, some states are also adding or considering new requirements on various food ingredients. In June, Texas passed a law that will be effective September 2025. It listed 44 substances used as “additives, chemicals or colors” in food, and required that after January 1, 2027, a food manufacturer needs to add to its food labels and online sales sites a warning stating: “WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.” That’s right: Texas wants you to tell consumers the legal status of substances in food in countries other than the U.S.

Louisiana recently enacted a new law that, among other provisions, includes its own list of 44 chemicals, which is substantially similar but not identical to Texas’ list, and requires their presence to be disclosed on labels together with a QR link to the FDA website for more information.

And West Virginia’s law, effective now as of August 1, bans outright the use of seven food colors in school nutrition programs and, starting in 2028, bans nine substances, including those seven colors, in any food product.

Most observers expect more states to take similar actions in coming months and years. What can national companies do to overcome this proliferation of state laws? Even if you decide to try complying with their various requirements, that could be an extraordinarily complex undertaking because the laws don’t match one another—and that’s before you consider all the supply chain pragmatics, marketing and consumer preferences, and other challenges, none of which the folks who pass these laws seem to take into account.

Want to sue to stop the laws? Unfortunately, it is only sometimes the case that you could succeed in getting a court to strike down a state law as “preempted” by a federal requirement because preemption is only found in several specific situations, or as an “undue burden on interstate commerce,” which the U.S. Constitution prohibits. The Supreme Court has made clear that if a state is taking an action that interferes with interstate commerce in order to protect its residents’ safety, they will usually be permitted to do so.

But on the other hand, what if the state’s action won’t truly protect consumer safety because the substance they ban or burden isn’t really unsafe? That’s a potentially winning argument, since some of the MAHA-inspired actions are based on what we might politely call minority opinions of scientific issues. One problem with that approach is that it could take years and lots of money to achieve, and might turn off your consumers even if you’re in the right.

One thing you might also do in reaction to state laws that are problematic is try to convince the U.S. Congress to override them by changing the law in a favorable way with national applicability. That is what was done a few years ago when Vermont decided to make a special rule about labeling genetically modified ingredients in foods. Congress reacted by making a national law that set requirements about such label statements.

As a practical matter, of course businesses, wanting to react appropriately to the motivations of their consumers, might well alter their products or alter their labeling nationwide in reaction to a single state’s law. If that happens, the law’s advocates will have achieved their likely intended purpose without having to change the law nationally.

It’s all very reminiscent of California’s Proposition 65, which, starting back in the 1980s, requires warnings about specific chemicals (it didn’t ban their use), even though use of the chemicals was permitted under a range of federal laws and regulations. Ever since, that law has had essentially the same effect as if it were an internationally recognized treaty, since all or most companies everywhere make an effort to comply with it in order to lawfully sell their products in California.

Where all these laws will lead is uncertain, but what is certain is that packagers should start thinking now about their best path to reacting to them. PW

By Sterling Anthony, CPP, Contributing Editor

Wooden Pallet Management Part 3 of 3: Pallet Storage

Part 1 of this series asserted that pallets are assets deserving of detailed specifications (pwgo.to/8884). Part 2 asserted the importance of choosing vendors that can consistently deliver against those specifications (pwgo.to/8885). Here, Part 3 asserts the importance of storing pallets under conditions that enable them to provide efficiencies and cost-effectiveness throughout supply chains. This column, however, is about the storage of empty pallets, as opposed to the storage of pallet loads. The latter has particulars that qualify for a separate article.

An initial decision is the designation of a storage location. The ideal choice is inside the facility, however the choice is more involved than choosing an area that happens to be available. Thought should be given to the distance between the storage location and where pallets are loaded, i.e. end-of-line operations. That distance should be as short as feasible to minimize material handling mishaps. Establishing that advantageous distance might require that items presently occupying the target area be reassigned to a different area.

For employee safety, the pallet storage location should be a reasonable distance away from high foot traffic. Employee safety is further promoted when the pallet storage location is a reasonable distance away from the storage locations for other types of inventory.

a stringer pallet, along with their different base constructions.

On the other hand, if pallets must be stored outdoors, it should be under a roofed structure. Moisture induced by weather is the enemy of wooden pallets in that it promotes mold growth. Mold, in addition to weakening the strength of pallets via rot, can contaminate what is loaded onto those pallets.

Outdoor pallet storage should be on a level, paved surface for best stack stability. Storing pallets on bare ground can’t provide that stability. That’s not the only difference between pavement and ground; wet ground is another cause of mold on wooden pallets.

The aforementioned stacking guidelines regarding safety also apply to outdoor storage. An additional guideline is that pallets should not be stacked against a building nor very close to one, again for fire-safety concerns.

Regardless of the inside storage location, pallets are a potential fire hazard due to their composition. A wood-fueled fire will overwhelm an inadequate sprinkler system. The National Fire Protection Association issues guidelines about the safe storage of wooden pallets. Although NFPA lacks enforcement, insurance companies are known to factor compliance into the setting of rates.

Pallet stacking is of vital importance. Height is a tradeoff between maximizing cubic space versus column stability: the higher the stack, the less stable it is. An additional recognition is that the higher the stack, the greater the potential fire hazard. Another tradeoff is that between the closeness among stacks, conserving floor space, versus adequate spacing among stacks, allowing air-flow ventilation for greater fire safety. Alignment is an associated factor, affected not only by neat horizontal placement but also by how tightly pallet dimensions fall within specified tolerances.

In further pursuit of proper stacking, different pallet types (e.g., stringer and block) should not be mixed. A shipper that uses block pallets because they are favored by the likes of Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s might use stringer pallets for other customers. It’s not just a matter of easier access. Mixed stacks composed of the same number of pallets can, nonetheless, have different heights and different stability, owing to the difference in height between a block pallet and

The indoor/outdoor issue aside, companies that ship internationally on wooden pallets must deal with phytosanitation, aimed at preventing wood-boring insects indigenous to a particular nation from being introduced to other nations. The mandate is ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures). Wooden pallets must undergo insecticide treatment, the two main alternatives being heat and fumigation. Wooden pallets thus treated get to bear a certification mark, by branding or by imprint. Without that mark, shipments arriving at foreign ports will be placed in quarantine, or worse, ordered to be destroyed.

No wooden pallet management system would be complete without an inspection component. It’s not only about checking the condition of pallets, but additionally about inventory control. A practice whereby the last-received pallets are the first chosen for outbound can increase the chances that earlier-received pallets get compromised, even if only from age and various exposures. Some level of inventory rotation can yield benefits.

Since almost every company receives supplies and other inventory on wooden pallets, the management system should specify what’s to be done with them, as to their separation, disposal, or even reuse.

For all types and uses of wooden pallets, mechanical handling is preferred. But occasions arise that require manual handling. On those occasions employees run the risk of injury. After all, a pallet typically weighs more than 50 lb, in addition to possibly having splinters, exposed fasteners, etc. In recognition, pallet management should include safe manual-handling practices, like those issued by OSHA.

In summary, wooden pallets are indispensable to commerce, and their overwhelming dominance vis-à-vis other materials, such as plastic, corrugated, and metal, means that they have no close substitute. An asset that valuable should be managed systematically. PW

By Ken McGuire, Contributor

When is the Right Time to Hire In-house Packaging Expertise?

In my time at a large CPG company (almost 30 years) and in the consulting I have done for various companies of different sizes and business types since, I have seen a variety of different packaging groups. Some of the groups are tiny and some are larger—and most have different skill sets. One thing most have in common is that they grew organically as the companies grew, and in some (not all) cases, this growth resulted in an organization that doesn’t necessarily fit with the company strategy. So, as you evaluate your company’s needs, you should ask yourself—when is the right time to hire in-house packaging? And a follow-up question should be—whom should I hire?

3. Am I experiencing technology pains today? Are they recurring and common?

When I worked at Procter & Gamble, packaging was seen as one of five strategic pillars that the company believed it needed to win vs. competition in the market (see the figure below). Clearly, if you are a Fortune 100 company and you believe packaging is necessary for you to win, you will have a packaging organization built to support that. It will have designers and scientists with both broad and specific expertise (blow and injection molding experts, graphic designers, industrial designers, and intellectual property experts) to create

Three questions can help address a packaging organization growth and design strategy and help determine the right time to hire in house resources:

1. Does my business model strategy rely on packaging to win in market?

2. Does my product portfolio demand new packaging forms? For example, are you creating a liquid product with a new and unusual rheology that cannot be easily dispensed from a bottle or pump?

winning packages with strong proprietary positions. However, even if you are not a Fortune 100 company, if your business model demands winning packaging, building an in-house organization will be critical to this strategy. The specific needs and size of the organization will depend on the type of business and the size of that business. For example, if your product requires very special barrier properties (due to stability usually), a materials expert would be top of the list. Or if you need specialized electromechanical devices, an injection molding,

3D printing, or industrial designer would be top of list. For smaller companies, I would always recommend hiring experienced people as you likely won’t have the time or resources to train and develop the expertise internally. Larger organizations will be best served hiring both experienced and new hires to maximize output and minimize cost.

At last year’s PACK EXPO International, I was able to participate in some round table discussions with various companies with packaging questions. One of these had created an entirely new product form—a hydration gel. The inventor was inspired by her sick grandmother who could stomach solids but struggled to swallow liquids. This new form required a new packaging form. She had chosen a stick pack, which worked, but I was left wondering if there wasn’t a better form that could completely transform the experience into something that could become a daily routine. The inventor was just a single-person company, and she was right to seek out consultants at this early phase and before she grew the company into something large. However, products like this that call for new packaging forms typically also call for an internal packaging organization to create them. I encouraged her to seek out stock packaging suppliers in the short term as she grew her business, to work with consultants or contractors as sales increased, and to eventually seek to employ a creative packaging scientist (or maybe a good industrial designer) once her product lines begin to expand. The conversion from consultant to in-house organization usually should occur when the cost of the consultant is higher than the cost to hire a full-time employee. Obviously, be aware

that the full-time hire will need full-time work, and usually benefits and training. But if you are paying more than $500,000 per year in consulting fees, it’s right to be looking for two to three hires with various skills to replace the consultants.

If you are experiencing recurring technology pains in your packaging, it would be a good time to look for in-house packaging experts to help. I have done some work with Premier Nutrition. It has over $1B in annual sales and a packaging organization of a half dozen people. The organization is dedicated and smart, but it was experiencing recurring problems with its packages that were mainly related to two specific technologies—ISBM and barrier. The team was struggling to solve problems here, and importantly didn’t have experts in these areas. This was an excellent time to take a hard strategic look at the organization’s design and decide if the occasional employ of a consultant (there are many great packaging consultants including one that I work for) or the hiring of in-house experts was the right solution. Premier chose to add to its team, and for leadership it was a good choice if they believed these problems would continue. They were happy with stock packaging solutions but needed an interface between the packaging companies and their businesses when these problems arose.

So, when is the right time to hire in-house packaging expertise? Clearly, it depends. But by asking yourself those questions on the facing page—several times every year—and being intentional and strategic in your choices, you can optimize your organization to achieve the results that your business strategy dictates. PW

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Kind Leans on Familiar Elements in New Brand Design

By Casey Flanagan, Associate Editor

Snack producer Kind is betting a little change can go a long way with its brand identity.

The brand in May started a visual refresh including its first ever logo design evolution, aiming to stand out more online and on the crowded snack aisle shelf, while carrying over the iconic brand assets customers know.

“We knew we had to land a design that would appeal to both our long-time loyal followers and to bar customer who weren’t yet buying Kind,” explains John Olsen, senior brand director at Kind. “That’s why, in addressing the need to look more modern and delicious at shelf, we leaned into the iconic visuals our customers already know and love: our four-color banner, our brand logo, and our gorgeous products themselves.”

Kind worked with two external agencies to help design and implement its new visual identity; branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie led design artwork, while global packaging and brand experience company SGK supported technical design production.

Leaning on familiar elements in the new design

One of the key findings in the brand’s consumer insights testing was that its four-color bars were one of its strongest and most recognizable assets.

In the new logo, the color bars fully surround the white Kind lettering, which is now enclosed in a black rectangle. The result a slightly more prominent four-bar colorway in the overall design.

Functional benefits are also prominently featured, drawing consumers in as they make quick shopping decisions. “Consumers make decisions at shelf in under one second,” says Olsen. “They want to quickly and easily understand if the snacks they pick up are for them.”

A little change makes a big splash

Kind shared about its new logo on social media on May 1 with an unveiling video at its corporate office, and consumers and fellow brands alike poked some fun at the seemingly minor change.

“Is this play about us,” commented Walmart, likely nodding to the retailer’s similarly minimal branding change earlier in 2025.

“These spot the difference games are getting harder,” commented olive oil brand Graza.

Kind stands by its change as a modernization of its visual identity, while staying recognizable. It even joined the fun with its following video, explains Olsen. “Our team members read and reacted to the most outrageous, funniest comments from the original unveiling video, and clapped back, playfully, to keep up the engagement with our consumers and even other brands that jumped into our comments.”

“The colors have resonated with consumers for so long because, outside of our iconic, category-first transparent window on our wrappers, the colors are the clear, distinguishing factor for Kind,” says Olsen. “These two factors are what made us first pop out on shelves, at the airport, at the checkout line, etc…, and our new look is an evolution that builds upon these key assets.”

The new logo first appeared on the store shelf with the launch of Kind’s new Healthy Grains Energy Bars in spring 2025, on both the product’s primary packaging wrappers and secondary cartons. The company also began an update to its overall package design with the launch of the new product.

The new design includes an unwrapped bar, highlighting the ingredients and flavors included in each bar, “whereas the previous packaging only showed a portion of the bar, limiting consumers’ visibility not only to taste, but also to texture,” says Olsen.

Kind’s next chapter as a brand

Kind swapped to its new logo across owned channels on May 1 and plans to update its packaging over the next several months, into 2026. Its next product to get the refreshed packaging will be its classic nut bars in the second half of 2025.

This is the second major announcement from Kind in 2025, with the brand having piloted curbside recyclable paper wrappers at Whole Foods Markets in the U.S. earlier this year.

The brand has also expanded its fruit-forward offerings like Mixed Berry, Pineapple Mango, and Strawberry Banana flavors for its new Healthy Grain Energy bars, in response to consumer requests. It also plans to add flavors to its Protein Max line and add more protein options within its Kind Breakfast offerings.

These changes in packaging material and product offerings, along with the new package design for greater shelf appeal, point to a focus on serving Kind’s consumer base.

“Kind is a consumer-obsessed brand,” says Olsen. “Our innovations, from product to packaging, always put the consumer first. We’ll continue to innovate our brand to what matters most to them while still delivering nutritious and delicious snacks.” PW

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By Andre Marino, SVP, Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric

Bridging the Gap: Building the Future Workforce of U.S. Manufacturing

The manufacturing sector is experiencing a transformation unlike anything we’ve seen in decades. A new industrial identity is taking shape, driven by digitalization, automation, and the need for increased productivity. In this fast-changing-landscape, one challenge is becoming increasingly clear: the widening talent gap.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, at the current pace of industry, more than two million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. could go unfilled by 2030. A 2025 Deloitte survey of 600 U.S. industrial executives, 48% said they have significant to moderate challenges in filling production and operational roles. Additionally, Schneider Electric’s own 2024 survey of over 400 plant and maintenance managers revealed that 76% see talent acquisition as a challenge or major challenge.

There are many unique factors that contribute to the growing industrial talent crisis. The median age of a manufacturing worker is over 44 years old, which is far above the national average of all workers. This means attracting and retaining the next generation of talent is crucial. However, there is a lingering perception problem that’s holding back recruitment—many still view industrial jobs as “dirty, dark, and dangerous.” This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Modern manufacturing is advanced, connected, and powered by software-defined automation and collaborative robotics. These technologies not only make operations safer and more efficient, but they can also help make industrial careers more attractive to a new generation of workers. Integrating advanced technology and automation into industrial operations is crucial for attracting digitally inclined incoming talent. Industry newcomers are individuals skilled in data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing, who are not only comfortable with advanced tools and software but expect them from their employers.

While 70% of respondents in Schneider Electric’s survey agree that digitalization can help address the talent gap, a significant hurdle remains: the skills many workers possess today don’t align with the demands of tomorrow’s industrial landscape. And for many organizations—especially small and mid-sized firms—training requires time and resources that are often in short supply. In short, there is no onestop solution.

Addressing the talent crisis requires a collective, industry-wide effort to attract, develop, and retain skilled workers. This means investing in educational programs, establishing clear career pathways, and highlighting the exciting opportunities available in today’s advanced digital manufacturing environments. These efforts won’t just benefit individual organizations but will help forge a more resilient future for U.S. manufacturing.

At Schneider Electric, we’re deeply committed to this mission because we know what’s at stake. With over 21,000 employees and 20 smart factories and distribution centers across the U.S., American manufacturing is part of who we are. That’s why we’ve committed to a $700 million investment in U.S. operations through 2027. The goal of this investment is to expand domestic manufacturing capacity, develop AIready automation infrastructure, and support over 1,000 new jobs in engineering, manufacturing, and technical services.

One way we’re putting this approach into practice is through our new Robotics & Motion Center of Excellence in Raleigh, NC. Here, community members, including students, manufacturers, integrators, distributors, and more, can co-develop and test robotic applications with Schneider experts, access hands-on training in motion control, AI, and digital twin technologies, and explore real-world use cases across industries. By making advanced robotics more accessible, we’re helping manufacturers bridge the gap between ambition and implementation.

Ribbon cutting at Schneider Electric’s new Robotics and Motion Center of Excellence.

This is just one example of how targeted investment in both technology and people can drive meaningful progress and empower the next generation of manufacturers. As the industrial landscape continues to evolve, we have a critical opportunity to build a workforce that’s more resilient and future ready. It’s clear that the future of industry will be defined by those who invest in people as much as they invest in technology. Whether you’re a global enterprise or a local manufacturer, your investment in talent today can shape a more competitive future for U.S. manufacturing.

Learn more about how Schneider Electric is empowering workforces and making operations smoother (pwgo.to/8878) and visit our Robotics and Motion Center of Excellence (pwgo.to/8879) today. PW

Big Boost in E-Comm Packaging

This footwear company automated labeling, upgraded shrink wrapping, and tied it all together with smooth-running conveyor systems to increase throughput by 556%.

By Pat Reynolds, Contributing Editor

Based in Glendale, Wis., Weyco Group is a publicly traded footwear company that owns leading brands including Florsheim, Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, Bogs, and Forsake. While manufacturing of footwear is done overseas, the 1.2 million-sq-ft Glendale facility—which can hold as many as four million pairs of shoes—is all about logistics, warehousing, and distribution.

Pairs of footwear arrive at the Glendale plant from their overseas manufacturing sites in paperboard shoe boxes. Plenty of boxed pairs leave Glendale in corrugated shippers holding up to 12 boxes that go to brick and mortar retail outlets such as Macy’s, DSW, and Kohl’s. But also representing a big chunk of the action in Glendale is direct-to-consumer sales over Weyco’s own website or the web sites of the aforementioned retailers.

Boxes of footwear are conveyed on friction-top belting down a controlled 30’ decline before entering a 180° curve that uses side-flexing chain to stabilize boxes during the turning process.

When this e-commerce part of Weyco’s business was still fairly new, pairs of footwear in their boxes were “overboxed.” In other words, operators manually set up a corrugated case, put a shoe box inside, and closed the case with tape. Also done manually was labeling, including the all-important Fed Ex or UPS label responsible for getting the case from Glendale, Wis., to the front porch of Mrs. Smith on Main Street.

“Needless to say, it was a very slow process, and it generated a lot of corrugated for us to buy and for consumers to discard,” says George Sotiros, chief information officer, VP of distribution. “By the time the labeling was done we probably managed one or two pairs per minute. So about seven or eight years ago we put in a standalone semiautomatic

shrink wrapper and stopped overboxing. It was a big improvement even though we were still labeling manually. It got us in the range of six to eight pairs per minute.”

Sotiros says that there were other benefits to switching to shrink wrapping. With shrink wrap a shoe box takes up less space on a truck. So now the firm is able to put about 9,000 pairs of footwear in a truck compared to 7,000 when overboxing was the norm. “The boxes are also better protected from snow and rain with shrink wrap,” adds Sotiros.

Pleased with the improvement brought about by introducing the shrink wrapper, the firm plunged further into automation about a year ago by adding a more automated shrink wrapper and four automated print-and-apply labelers. Tying the new automated systems all together is 600 feet of conveyance from Multi-Conveyor. According to Sotiros, the upgrade has made a huge difference, especially around the Christmas holiday rush.

“In the wake of Black Friday 2023, we had to work overtime for a week and a half, and we were still behind,” says Sotiros. “In 2024 with

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Closeup shows one boxed pair moving from right to left. The gray belting is Activated Roller Belt (ARB), which manipulates the movement and orientation of the boxes so that they are all left-justi ed.

this new process, we were able to stick to eight-hour shifts and still get everything completely done. So not only did it save us a lot of labor and headaches and things like that, but from the customer service point of it, in terms of getting those pairs of footwear out on a timely basis, it’s been a home run. And that’s what we were hoping for.”

Sotiros says that partnering with Multi-Conveyor made all the difference in the world. “We had only done metal roller conveyors in the past, and so moving to plastic belting was new to us. And then having automated labeling in line was also new. But it’s been a huge success.”

‘Crawl, walk, run’

Jason Russ, vice president information systems, puts it this way. “It was kind of like crawl, walk, run. We knew we wanted to reduce the number of touches and save space on the truck. But we had to think about adjusting our WMS (Warehouse Management Systems) processes if we went to shrink wrapping. By rst installing the semiautomatic shrink

wrapper we were able to prove out that shrink wrapping would bring big bene ts and would be compatible with our WMS before investing heavily in automated shrink wrapping equipment or labelers.”

Pairs of footwear arrive at the Glendale facility in the paperboard boxes that they get shipped out in. When an order comes in through Weyco’s WMS, a picker will pick a pair of shoes from a location somewhere in the vast warehouse and put it on a belt conveyor. Other pickers, as many as a dozen, throughout the warehouse are doing the same thing, and all of the conveyors they feed lead to a massive centralized sorter that scans UPC codes on the boxes and communicates with the WMS to segregate e-comm boxes from boxes going to wholesalers. E-comm boxes arrive at an accumulation area where an operator puts them on the rst section of Multi-Conveyor conveyance, which uses straight-running plastic belting. This is where the newly upgraded part of the process begins.

ANext is a Multi-Conveyor incline conveyor with friction-top belting that elevates the boxes to an overhead level that frees up productionoor workspace below. This overhead section uses low-backpressure roller-top belting (see Photo A) to provide a crucial 200 feet or so of accumulation space. “At this point we want to get as much accumulation capacity as we possibly can,” says Russ. “With this accumulation conveyor from Multi-Conveyor, if boxes get backed up the little yellow rollers just roll passively beneath the boxes even though the conveyor belt keeps moving. So the boxes accumulate with no damage or scuf ng. When the downstream back up is resolved, boxes resume their forward progress.”

A new shrinkwrapper played a big role in the output and ef ciency gains achieved at the Weyco facility (above). As boxes are discharged from the shrink wrapper on the black plastic belting shown here (right), they enter another ARB conveyor that diverts them to one of two lines leading to automated labeling systems.

At the end of the overhead accumulation conveyor, boxes take a controlled 30-ft decline before entering a 180-deg curve using side- exing chain that stabilizes the boxes during the turning process.

At this point the boxes transfer onto an intermediate section of ARB (Activated Roller Belt). Patented by Intralox, this system uses angled rollers embedded in the belt to manipulate the movement and orientation

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of containers being conveyed. In this case, it’s used to left-justify all boxes—in other words, to make sure all boxes are hugging the left side of the conveyor section that’s next. By doing so, Weyco is assured that the UPC code printed on the left side of each box can be scanned efficiently. It’s the information in this code that will tell the downstream print-and-apply labelers—by way of the Weyco WMS—what information needs to go on the labels. Also important to mention is that this next section of Multi-Conveyor conveyance after the ARB uses Slip-Torque roller surface conveyor from Shuttleworth, a ProMach company, so that boxes can accumulate in large numbers with no back-pressure whatsoever. The flow of boxes is regulated with an assist from a photo eye that communicates with upstream conveyors.

“If that Shuttleworth conveyor is full and boxes are backed up, that condition is communicated to the ARB, which in turn stops sending boxes,” says Russ. He credits Multi-Conveyor’s electrical engineering team for stepping up and taking responsibility for the technical support in calibrating the sensors, timing, control, and exchange of communication throughout the new line. “As we were visualizing how this would all work, we worked very closely with Multi-Conveyor to build the controls so that all these pieces can communicate,” says Russ. “Another reason we liked working with Multi-Conveyor is because they were comfortable with the fact that we wanted to convey the boxes wide-side leading. When you talk with conveyor companies they talk about the easy way and the hard way. Narrow-side leading is the easy way because the box is easier to control. But in our operation, with very few exceptions, we wanted wide-side leading because we get twice as much accumulation in the same amount of space. Fortunately for us, Multi-Conveyor had the confidence in their conveying technology to provide us with our preference. And then when we do need to run narrow-side leading, we can.”

On to shrink wrapping

As the boxes arrive at the infeed of the shrink wrapper, they transfer from the Shuttleworth conveyance onto the infeed section of the RS-240 orbital side seal shrink wrapper from Conflex. The machine has a custom infeed that was required because Weyco sends into

Downstream from the labelers, labels are scanned to make sure the correct label has been applied.

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it boxes of many different sizes one right after another. A photocell measures the size of every box from leading edge to trailing edge and relays that data to the machine’s Rockwell controller. Armed with this information, the machine tells the Conflex infeed belts carrying each box how to modify their speed so that the proper gap is created between each box. Clear shrink film is pulled from a roll, wrapped around each box, and shrunk down tightly in the Conflex Vortex shrink tunnel.

Wrapped boxes exiting the shrink tunnel immediately arrive on another Multi-Conveyor ARB that efficiently splits the boxes into two lanes. Each lane leads to two direct thermal print-andapply labelers from LabelMill. The labelers know what information to print, including the address of the person who ordered the footwear, because the box’s UPC code was scanned upstream by a Cognex scanner that shares its data with the Weyco WMS. That WMS software in turn tells the printers what to print. The first labeler applies a packing slip and the second applies the label containing the customer’s mailing address. Worth noting is that the label also includes a QR code that the consumer can scan to find the closest place to recycle their shrink wrap.

Friction-top belting is used in the conveyor beneath the labelers to give additional grip and control, helping to optimize label placement accuracy. This optimized control also made it possible to integrate into the labeling station a pressure-sensitive labeler from CTM Labeling Sysems that applies an additional preprinted discount label that previously had to be applied manually.

In addition to scanning the box as it enters the labeling area, Weyco also deploys a Cognex scanner to scan the label after application to make sure the correct label was printed and applied. If not, a pneumatically actuated reject device kicks that box off the line. Russ points out that once again the overall data communications architecture provided by Multi-Conveyor is what makes all of this information exchange possible. This tightly integrated control brings all kinds of benefits.

“For example,” says Russ, “if one labeling line goes down, right away the upstream shrink wrapper slows down because the controls system tells it to. Once we’ve addressed whatever was causing the one labeling line to go down, the control system tells the shrink wrapper to speed back up.”

Once labeling is finished, the two lines converge again by way of another ARB and are conveyed on plastic belting directly to the UPS or FedEx truck waiting outside. There an operator removes the wrapped and labeled boxes from the conveyor and puts them where they belong in the truck.

With Weyco’s E-commerce business continuing to grow, Sotiros and colleagues are happy to have left overboxing behind. “There were times when we’d have anywhere from six to twelve people working on these shipments,” says Sotiros. “Now we have two people more or less monitoring the automated systems and replenishing labels and shrink film when need be. It’s quite incredible.”

Throughput has gone from 6 to 40 pairs/min, a 556% increase. But the conveyors are designed for up to 45 pairs/min, building in a 650% eligible increase. Not to mention the fact that the new system has been super reliable. “We’ve had zero downtime with regard to the conveyors, motors, and everything,” says Sotiros. “So from a serviceability standpoint, it’s been fantastic. We look to continue our partnership with Multi-Conveyor over many years.”

Pleased as he is with such notable progress, Sotiros says he plans to continue looking for ways to bring even greater automated efficiency to the Weyco operation. “I’ll be at PACK EXPO Las Vegas in September looking for any solutions that might apply to our packaging processes,” he says. PW

PRS 2025 Captures Pivotal Moment in Circularity

Packaging World’s 2025 Packaging Recycling Summit marks a turning point in circularity, as brands, policymakers, suppliers, MRFs, and industry organizations move from intention to implementation across systems, formats, and policies.

By Anne Marie Mohan, Senior Editor

From Registration to Reporting: EPR Gets Real

Recycling has never been more urgent or more complex. Across the U.S., local programs follow different rules, infrastructure gaps remain, and packaging formats are changing faster than recovery systems can adapt. At the 2025 Packaging Recycling Summit, presented by Packaging World magazine and held in Dallas in June, the focus was on how to make it all work through innovation and collaboration.

Over three days, brand owners, recyclers, NGOs, and solution providers shared how they’re navigating this fragmented landscape. The discussions centered on practical solutions, not sweeping promises. From policy and packaging design to collection systems and material recovery, the emphasis was on building systems that can deliver results.

A roster of more than 30 distinguished speakers talked about navigating EPR reporting, making packaging more recyclable, changing consumer behavior, and using AI to improve sortation. While each one brought a different perspective, many described a similar path forward shaped by continuous improvement, shared responsibility, and better alignment across the value chain.

Many speakers emphasized that meaningful progress often starts with incremental improvements—replacing one material, refining one label, updating one data system—and that those changes, when replicated across supply chains, can have measurable impact.

The sessions highlighted work already in motion and explored what still needs to happen to move recycling from intention to impact. “We are in a watershed moment. In the 30-plus years that I’ve been doing this, I’ve never seen as much change happen,” said Paul Nowak of GreenBlue, signaling that real momentum is building toward a more circular future.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging is officially underway. Producer registration has closed in multiple states, fee schedules are taking shape, and many brands have filed their first packaging reports, while others are still scrambling to get systems and data in place.

At the time of the summit, Oregon was just days away from launching the first operational EPR program for paper and packaging in the U.S., moving from years of planning to implementation.

“We completed the registration and reporting process in Oregon, and we’re really impressed and proud of the work that the producers did,” shared Jeff Fielkow, CEO of the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) selected by five EPR states. “Are we one-hundred percent? No, but more than 2,000 producers have registered for Oregon, and they now have their invoices in their hands.”

Jeffrey Fielkow, CEO of the Circular Action Alliance (CAA)

In other EPR news, Fielkow noted that Colorado’s registration had closed, with reports due by the end of July, while Minnesota’s deadline was right around the corner.

But meeting the initial registration and reporting deadlines is only the beginning. Fielkow noted that brand owners are still navigating unfamiliar territory, especially when definitions and obligations vary from one state to the next. “How do I know if I’m foodservice? How do I know which covered materials are part of the program?” he said. Many questions remain, especially for those new to EPR. “This was a massive learning curve,” he added. “But for companies doing business internationally, this is not that new. It’s new here, but not new globally.”

Jason Bergquist, VP – US of RecycleMe, a division of Reclay StewardEdge, echoed the challenge of navigating differing requirements. In just the first three states—Oregon, Colorado, and California—producers face three sets of definitions, timelines, material lists, and fee structures. “That’s just in the first three states, with more to come,” he said. “And it can be very challenging.”

One key point of confusion is business-to-business packaging. Oregon includes B2B materials, while Colorado does not. For example, a producer of branded shipping boxes or retail bags might be obligated to report them in Oregon, but not in Colorado. “Two very different impacts to the same producer depending on which state they’re selling into,” Bergquist said. Differences in bottle bill coverage and eco-modulation requirements only add to the complexity.

Fielkow described how CAA is working to at least standardize the experience for producers. “We want to give a harmonized experience for you working in every state you’re in,” he said. That includes one portal, one team to work with, and a consistent process for reporting and payment. But CAA’s role is implementation, not legislation. “We didn’t write the laws. We’re interpreting and executing them,” he explained.

Participation so far has been strong, though not universal. Fielkow said many producers waited until the final days before the March 31 reporting deadline in Oregon, creating a surge reminiscent of tax season. “About two weeks before that, we probably had about 300 or 400 producers, and I’m like, oh my gosh,” he said. “But in the last hours, it was like a hockey stick.”

Jeff Bezzo, executive director of plastic and packaging sustainability at SC Johnson, shared that while the company was ultimately able to report on time in Oregon, it wasn’t without challenges. “We had great data for legacy brands like Windex and Draino,” he said, “but recent acquisitions required us to go back and weigh packaging, create databases, and confirm reporting obligations across product types.”

Bezzo emphasized that state-level nuances make crossfunctional collaboration essential. “We’re asking the same questions over and over with each new state,” he said, referencing differences in coverage for B2B packaging, DTC shipping formats, and refill systems. “It’s unfortunate, but that’s where we are today.”

As states refine their plans, producers also face questions about where their packaging ends up and how fees are calculated. End markets must be verified, and not all

Jeff Bezzo, executive director of plastic and packaging sustainability for SC Johnson

Jason Bergquist, VP – US for RecycleMe

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materials face the same economic or infrastructure realities. Bergquist noted that these local differences affect the fee structure. In Oregon, high recycling costs for glass contributed to higher fees, leading some companies to consider switching to plastic for cost reasons, even when it runs counter to their branding.

Behind the scenes, many producers are still struggling with data readiness. Said Alex Clark, director of solution engineering for Specright, “Most companies struggle with EPR not because they don’t care, but because they’re struggling to find the right data,” he said.

That’s why Clark urged brands to begin wherever they can, even if it feels small. “Your future self will thank you,” he said.

Clark also emphasized the need to shift sustainability thinking upstream, integrating it into the early stages of product development rather than treating it as an afterthought. “Instead of thinking about sustainability at the end of the development of a product and how you can report on that, it’s time to start thinking about it at the beginning.”

With more states coming online and reporting cycles repeating annually, brands will need to shift from one-time compliance to continuous improvement. As Bergquist put it, “Try and think big picture. Look at California. Look at Europe. There are areas where there are threads that run through these laws.” The challenge now is pulling those threads into something manageable and making sure producers are ready.

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Alex Clark, director of solution engineering for Specright

Top Takeaways from PRS 2025

1

EPR compliance starts with getting your data right

State-level reporting has begun, and many producers are unprepared. Brands need to centralize packaging data, engage suppliers, and make EPR a continuous process, not a one-time scramble.

See “From Registration to Reporting: EPR Gets Real,” p. 48

2 Molecular recycling should be included in EPR frameworks

Mechanical recycling alone cannot close the loop. Molecular solutions offer a critical pathway for recovering complex materials and meeting recycled content goals.

See “Why Molecular Recycling Needs a Seat at the Table,” p. 56

3 Paper packaging still needs performance support

Consumers love paper, but it must be engineered for function and recovery. Coatings and adhesives are evolving to meet barrier and recyclability needs.

See “Material Innovations Seek to Close the Loop,” p. 58

4 Sustainable packaging can deliver operational and commercial value

Duracell’s fiber-based redesign led to lower labor costs, improved shelf visibility, and stronger sales, showing that circularity can align with business benefits.

See “Duracell Reinvents the Battery Category with Paper Packaging,” p. 60

5 Recycling participation improves when systems reflect real human behavior

Behavioral science shows people are more likely to recycle when it feels easy, socially reinforced, and tied to personal identity.

See “Behavioral Science Meets the Blue Bin,” p. 64

6 MRFs need better packaging inputs and stronger end markets

Sorting facilities cannot solve system issues alone. Packaging must be compatible with recovery, and downstream buyers must be ready to accept what gets captured.

See “MRFs, Markets, and the Business of Bales,” p. 66

7 AI is giving brands critical feedback on packaging recoverability

Smart systems at MRFs can now detect packaging formats, contamination, and capture rates in real time, helping inform upstream design decisions.

See “AI Unlocks New Value in the Waste Stream,” p. 70

8

Cross-industry collaboration is essential for increasing material capture

Efforts to improve collection—from deposit return systems to hybrid models—require brands, MRFs, NGOs, and policymakers to work together on shared infrastructure and messaging.

See “A Collective Push for More and Better Capture,” p. 74

9

Pre-competitive research partnerships can accelerate packaging innovation

C3PS offers brand owners a chance to co-develop solutions from PFAS-free coatings to improved PCR performance with leading universities.

See sidebar, “New Research Hub Tackles Packaging Challenges,” p. 76

10

Flexible film recovery depends on pilots, labeling, and market development

Projects like Chicago’s secondary sort pilot show promise, but scalability hinges on clearer consumer guidance and stronger demand for recovered film.

See “Tackling the Flexible Film Challenge through Shared Solutions,” p. 78

11

Circular design is iterative and grounded in consumer insight

Danone’s step-by-step packaging improvements are guided by testing, functionality, and feedback. The focus is not on sweeping overhauls, but on steady forward motion.

See “Danone’s Holistic Approach to Packaging Innovation,” p. 82

12 Bio-based resin offers carbon savings with no disruption

Haleon’s switch to a bio-based Tums bottle cut carbon by 70% with no changes to tooling, design, or consumer use, showing how collaboration can drive low-disruption impact.

See “Tums Explores Circular Options with Bio-based Resin,” p. 84

13

Direct-to-consumer collection models can fill infrastructure gaps

Mail-back and rural recovery programs can help brands reach households outside traditional collection routes while reinforcing brand values and sustainability commitments.

See “Once Upon a Farm Starts Small to Spark Broader Systems Change,” p. 86

Why Molecular Recycling Needs a Seat at the Table

As brands work to meet the growing demands of EPR programs, the limitations of mechanical recycling are becoming more visible. John Hewitt, SVP of packaging and sustainability at the Consumer Brands Association (CBA), pointed out that while mechanical systems are essential, they cannot close the loop for recycled packaging materials on their own.

“Our members have made commitments to improve recycling systems through programs and investments like EPR,” he said. “But really, the collection of material is only the first step in circularity.” As Hewitt explained, for many types of plastic packaging—especially films, flexibles, colored PET, and other hard-to-recycle formats—mechanical recycling just isn’t enough. That’s where molecular recycling can help fill the gap.

“When we sit down and talk to lawmakers about EPR, we always explain that mechanical recycling might get you to 60 or 70 percent recovery. Molecular technologies are how you reach the rest,” Hewitt said. “Molecular recycling should be a viable option in improving the circularity of plastics.”

The technologies, which include purification, depolymerization, and conversion, break plastic waste down to its building blocks and allow it to be rebuilt into new, virgin-quality material. For the CPG industry,

John Hewitt, SVP, packaging and sustainability and state affairs for the Consumer Brands Assn. (CBA)

that’s critical. Said Hewitt, “Our folks have an acute need for new materials, especially those that have recycled content in them.”

He also stressed that molecular recycling is not incineration. “These technologies do not occur in the presence of oxygen. Therefore, by definition, they’re not incineration,” he said. CBA supports policies that treat molecular and mechanical recycling equally under environmental regulations while ensuring that only plastics-to-plastics pathways count toward recycling targets. He added that state-level EPR programs must remain open to new technologies and avoid locking in definitions that exclude molecular solutions. “We need both of those—mechanical and molecular—to complement one another to ultimately reach those goals that we have on the packaging sustainability side,” Hewitt said. Without both, circularity will remain out of reach.

Material Innovations Seek to Close the Loop

As EPR reporting ramps up, design teams are feeling the pressure to create packaging that doesn’t just perform, but also aligns with recovery systems and circularity goals. Across multiple sessions, speakers shared how they’re refining materials, improving performance, and reducing environmental impacts across both primary and secondary packaging.

One material category that has been attracting growing attention is paper. Consumers overwhelmingly view paper as more sustainable, but its application in packaging design remains limited by performance barriers. “Honestly, it’s a dust cover,” said Guido Kollbach, business director, packaging adhesives at Henkel Corp. “It holds flour in the kitchen, and that’s about it.”

Unless enhanced with functional barriers, paper alone cannot withstand grease, moisture, or oxygen exposure, making it problematic for applications such as frozen foods, snacks, and liquids. To address this, Henkel has developed adhesive and coating systems that enable paper to take on properties traditionally delivered by plastic films or laminates. These barrier technologies help maintain freshness and shelf life while still allowing paper to be processed in fiber recovery systems.

“There’s no silver bullet,” Kollbach said. “But we have made big progress in combining functional performance and recyclability.” The goal is to replace complex multilayer structures with mono-material or recyclable alternatives without sacrificing the packaging’s role in product protection or user experience.

That balance between function and recyclability is also central to ongoing work at Ecologic Brands, a Jabil company. John Hursey, senior director, described how the company’s molded fiber bottle was designed to help move paper-based packaging closer to what he called the “holy grail.” In this case, that means a fiberbased structure that holds liquids or semiliquids, reduces plastic use, and performs on par with traditional formats in terms of usability, shelf impact, and recyclability.

Ecologic’s solution features a rigid outer shell made from 100% recycled paper and a thin PET liner that is 70% lighter than standard HDPE. The two components can be separated by consumers and recycled in their respective material streams.

a gradual approach to innovation. “It’s not going to be a revolution,” Hursey added. “It’s going to be an evolution. Every day, people like us are trying to make that better.”

Beyond the primary package, brands are also looking closely at upstream materials that never reach the consumer but still have a significant environmental footprint. One of the most impactful examples came from Marissa Lundberg, VP of national accounts, packaging and sustainability at Group O, who detailed a packaging redesign project with a major food manufacturer. The goal was to replace a virgin resin-based stretch film—already optimized by Group O for load stability and efficiency—with a version made from 30% PCR.

The team tested the PCR stretch film across 42 lines in 11 production facilities. Test conditions included a wide range of pallet loads, wrap patterns, film gauges, and equipment. Despite the change in material, the film maintained its performance and durability across all scenarios. “It actually outperformed expectations,” Lundberg said. “It was more consistent than we anticipated, even on older lines.”

The environmental benefits were significant. The switch resulted in a 21% reduction in CO2 emissions, 30% less fossil fuel use, and 30% less water consumption. These outcomes were modeled across the various plant locations and production volumes. Cost neutrality was also achieved, and in 10 of the 11 sites, the PCR film delivered savings compared to the virgin baseline. “This is a significant improvement, espe-

cially when you consider this one change implemented across multiple sites can dramatically reduce Scope 3 emissions at scale,” Lundberg said.

“It’s a great story, if we can get consumers to separate the packaging,” Hursey said. If not separated, the overall plastic content is still far lower than a conventional plastic bottle.

While separation remains a hurdle, the hybrid format demonstrates

Importantly, the PCR film was compatible with existing post-use processes. The used stretch film could be baled, washed, and returned to resin form, creating a closed-loop system without requiring major changes in equipment or operations.

Guido Kollbach, business director, packaging adhesives for Henkel Corp.

Marissa Lundberg, VP of national accounts for Group O

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Duracell Reinvents the Battery Category with Paper Packaging

Paper packaging often comes with tradeoffs: It can reduce the use of plastic, but sometimes at the expense of durability or shelf appeal. But what if you could make a sweeping switch to a paper package and simultaneously improve the shopper experience, simplify the supply chain, and cut costs? That was both the challenge and the opportunity Duracell set out to tackle.

At the Summit, Brandon Barr, VP/GM at Duracell, shared how the company moved from a 60-year-old plastic blister-pack to a fully paperbased package that’s now rolling out in Walmart stores across the country. “We had tried three, four different times over 20 years to get a sustainable package to market and failed,” he said. “So we had to really take a step back and think of how we could do this in a new and different way.”

Barr framed the shift as more than a packaging change. It was a full-on category reinvention built around the single principle of making it easier for stakeholders to say yes. “You can’t convince people to move to a new sustainable package if you don’t know what motivates each of them,” he said. For Duracell, the three stakeholder groups were consumers, retailers, and its own internal teams.

For consumers, there were a number of pain points. Batteries were hard to find in-store, hard to shop once you got there, and frustrating to open once you got home. “There are technically five main battery types, but we could have 150 to 200 different SKUs on the shelf,” Barr said. “It is very complicated to navigate.” The old clamshell packaging didn’t help either. Difficult to open and impossible to reseal, it often led to batteries ending up loose in a drawer or a Ziploc bag.

Retailers had their own headaches. Multiple product locations and bulky packaging made it tough to keep shelves stocked and inventory in the right place. “Labor constraints post-COVID just amplified all of that,” Barr said.

Internally, the company was juggling 207 SKUs in North America alone for just five battery types. This complexity was driving up forecasting challenges, changeover times, and equipment costs.

The solution came in the form of a new paper blister-pack with a retrofitted packaging line that didn’t require brand-new equipment. “We form the cardboard on our existing lines and heatseal it to paperboard, just like we used to with plastic,” Barr said. “It’s kind of where it landed.”

Brandon Barr, VP/GM for Duracell

The package features an easy-open design, better storage, and improved shelf presence. And consumers noticed, with 96% giving it a top-two-box score, which means that 98% of shoppers who have used it said they love it or like it a lot, and 90% saying they prefer it over the old format. “Twice as many shoppers prefer it for ease of use,” Barr noted.

What’s equally impressive is what the change unlocked. By altering the layout of the batteries and reducing SKU count, Duracell doubled the number of batteries that could fit in the same shelf space. “That means I only have to send half the number of displays to the store,”

Barr explained. “Less pallets, less trucks—everything that drives cost, I’m removing.”

Test stores with the new packaging saw a high single-digit lift in conversion as shoppers more easily found what they needed and added it to their carts. And because the new layout made it easier to understand the product and compare options, Duracell saw fewer lost sales due to shopper confusion or frustration.

In conjunction with the new primary packaging design, Duracell also overhauled its shipping cases, dropping from 69 separate packaging components to one easy-open box that can be stocked in 30 seconds instead of 90. “The retailers love the new cases more than the new package,” Barr said. “It lets them keep their shelf in stock longer.”

Sustainability gains followed naturally. With the new packaging system in place, Duracell expects to eliminate 26 million pounds of waste annually and reduce pallet shipments by up to 60,000, which is equivalent to driving 1 million fewer kilometers, or 25 trips around the world.

“It’s all about how you piece together those value creators,” Barr said. “That’s what enables and unlocks the package.”

The company’s investment in retrofitting lines is expected to pay for itself in 15 to 16 months, while the full system-wide shift, including instore changes, will break even in under four years.

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Behavioral Science Meets the Blue Bin

Even the best-designed package won’t get recycled if it never makes it into the bin. According to behavioral science marketer Shira Abel, fixing that final step of consumer participation requires more than education. It means tapping into how people actually make decisions.

“Ninety-five percent of all decisions are made subconsciously,” Abel said. “We make a decision based on our emotions and then back it up with data.”

In her keynote session, Abel shared her “Perception Formula,” which breaks behavior down into four parts: heuristics (mental shortcuts), hormones (emotional drivers), history (past experience), and heritage (cultural and community identity). The goal is to make recycling feel instinctive, like stopping at a red light.

But right now, it doesn’t. While 87% of Americans say recycling is important, only 32% of waste is actually recycled. “Forty-five percent don’t know what is and isn’t recyclable,” Abel said. “And 64% don’t know how [to recycle],” adding that people are more likely to opt out when the system is confusing, the rules inconsistent, and there’s no real feedback.

“People won’t do anything at all if they don’t have to,” Abel said. But they will if there’s a reward. Even something small, like a satisfying sound when returning a bottle, can trigger a dopamine response. “Dopamine

is reward,” she explained. “And when you’ve done something that makes you feel good, you get a little dose.”

Incentives don’t always have to be tangible though.

Social proof works too. Abel recalled getting a letter from her energy provider noting her household’s efficiency. “We are more likely to do things when we know our neighborhood is doing it as well,” she said. Recycling programs could adopt the same approach.

Design plays a role here too, especially in shaping identity. Abel made a distinction between saying “I recycle” and “I’m a recycler.” One is a task; the other is part of who you are. “When it becomes your identity, you have to do it,” she said.

To build lasting habits, the entire system needs to support that shift. From messaging to collection, every part of the infrastructure has to reinforce the behavior we want to see. “You can’t do it alone,” Abel said. “The entire system has to work.”

Shira Abel, CEO of Shira Abel

MRFs, Markets, and the Business of Bales

While behavioral cues can nudge consumers toward the bin, the real work of recycling happens after the truck pulls away. That’s where material recovery facilities, or MRFs, take over. It’s also where a lot of the complexity begins.

As Joaquin Mariel, chief commercial officer at Balcones Recycling, explained, “We get labeled as the recycler a lot, but we don’t actually recycle anything.” Instead, MRFs operate at the crossroads of infrastructure and manufacturing. Their product is the sorted bale—paper, plastic, metal, or glass—and their business model depends on both processing fees and the ability to sell those bales into commodity markets.

It’s a high-stakes balancing act. “We know what it takes to turn the lights on every day,” said Jeff Snyder, SVP of recycling and sustainability at Rumpke. “So we look at the value of the combined single stream coming in. If it’s above our threshold, we can share revenue with the municipality. If not, we charge a processing fee.”

Joaquin Mariel, chief commercial officer, Balcones Recycling (left), and Jeff Snyder, SVP of recycling and sustainability, Rumpke

It’s simple math, but with moving variables. Paper still makes up the bulk of what comes in—over 55% in many regions—but prices fluctuate, and contamination adds cost. “People focus a lot on specific items, but we’d rather remove $50 worth of residue than gain $10 more from toothpaste tubes,” said Jim Marcinko, recycling operations director for WM.

Material values also shift daily. Plastic markets are volatile, aluminum is strong, and glass, while low in value, is easy to sort and in high demand where infrastructure exists. “Eighty percent of the glass we take in Ohio gets recycled in-state,” said Snyder, who noted Rumpke operates its own glass processing plant. But in places without nearby markets, glass can be a net loss.

Labor also plays a role. AI and optical sorters have reduced headcount, but upped the need for skilled technicians. “We’ve cut staff from 35 or 40 to as few as 10 to 15 per shift,” said Snyder. “But the jobs are higher paying.”

and business development, AMP

Marcinko noted that WM recently completed a $1.4 billion upgrade of 50 facilities, shifting from manual sorting to a more capital-intensive model that includes advanced optics, AI, and even X-ray systems that detect hazards like batteries and propane tanks.

Still, technology is only part of the solution. Volume and consistent feedstock matter, especially for smaller markets. “You can’t pay back a million-dollar optical sorter with one less line worker,” said Mariel. “The scale has to be there.”

That variability is a key challenge for brands aiming to design recyclable packaging. A material might work well at one MRF but get lost or

misrouted at another. And most recyclers aren’t in a position to give a definitive yes or no on recyclability. “We don’t want to get sued for saying something is recyclable everywhere when it’s not,” said Marcinko.

What they do want is partnership. The recyclers all encouraged brand owners to come visit, test their packaging, and see how it performs on different lines. “You can RFID-tag a package, run it through the line, and see exactly where it ends up,” said Snyder. “Did we recover it? Did it go to the right place? That’s how you make better design decisions.”

And it’s not just about sorting, it’s about creating end markets, too. “If you’re using recyclable packaging, are you buying it back?” asked Justin Davis of AMP. “We want to recycle your material, but we also need demand for the bales we produce.”

As Snyder said plainly, “If I can’t find a place to sell it, it’s not recyclable.”

At the end of the day, recycling isn’t easy. It’s shaped by infrastructure, commodity prices, geography, and policy. It requires brands to think beyond intention and design for the systems that exist, no matter how disparate. But it’s also an industry making massive capital investments and evolving rapidly. That’s why the panel urged brands to stay the course.

“Don’t give up. Don’t go backwards on your commitments. Let’s keep driving through whatever the economic conditions are or political conditions,” advised Mariel. “This is a long-term process. It’s a long-term play. I think we have shown as companies that we’re willing to make long-term investments.”

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Jim Marcinko, recycling operations director, WM (left), and Justin Davis, director, commercial origination

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AI Unlocks New Value in the Waste Stream

The modernization of MRFs has reached a pivotal juncture, not just in terms of speed or precision, but also in the intelligence now built into every belt and bale. While MRFs are investing heavily in infrastructure to improve safety and reduce reliance on manual labor, it’s artificial intelligence that’s poised to unlock the biggest transformation, moving recovery operations from guesswork to real-time decision-making.

“Twenty-five percent of what’s coming into MRFs is being lost,” said JD Ambati, founder and CEO of EverestLabs, a provider of AI and robotics systems designed to improve the sorting and recovery of recyclables. “We’re losing tens of billions of dollars of materials.”

And it’s not just plastic. He also pointed to aluminum and fiber as major value streams that are slipping through the cracks, explaining that the only way to improve recovery is to make the system smarter. “This is a data problem,” he said. “And thanks to declining compute costs, we can now capture this data in near real time and act on it.”

It’s a shift that’s already happening inside progressive MRFs. For Rumpke, AI has become a critical part of daily operations, helping pinpoint what’s coming in, what’s getting missed, and how to recover it more effectively. At its Columbus and Louisville facilities, Rumpke is using AI-powered robotic sorters equipped with tools like X-ray and laser tagging to identify and remove materials automatically. “We’re seeing through the burden depth,” Snyder said, noting how the technology is enhancing both labor efficiency and sortation quality.

On the technology side, Gaspard Duthilleul, COO of AI waste analytics provider Greyparrot, described how its systems support that shift. Using computer vision, Greyparrot tracks not just material types, but also branded packaging, formats, and contamination levels across the line. “Ten years ago, it would’ve taken four years of manual sampling to get the kind of data we now collect in a few months,” he said. In

one study conducted along with Closed Loop Partners, Greyparrot recorded 40 million data points in three months across four U.S. MRFs, mapping out what was actually recoverable and what was lost.

Greyparrot’s latest product launch, Deepnest, aims to bridge the gap between brands and recycling operations by giving CPGs unprecedented visibility into how their packaging behaves in a MRF. Deepnest allows brand owners to see what types of packaging are showing up at sorting facilities, how they’re performing, and where they may be falling short. It’s a tool designed to move packaging data out of the black box and into actionable territory, supporting better design, stronger claims, and more informed EPR strategies.

JD Ambati, CEO and founder of EverestLabs

Kristin Taylor, director, catalytic capital, for Closed Loop Partners, and Gaspard Duthilleul, COO of Greyparrot

That kind of transparency is a game-changer for both MRF operators and brands. “With robust label sets and vision systems, we can now tell brand owners exactly how many of their bottles—or their competitors’—are moving through our lines,” said Davis of AMP Robotics. That data not only supports EPR, but it’s also helping brands see whether their packaging is truly making it through the system.

Marcinko of WM noted that this insight is shaping how WM operates. “The data we’re getting from AI is influencing our decisions around equipment, around training, and even around how we work with brands,” he said. “It’s creating a feedback loop we didn’t have before.”

That feedback loop is essential not just for optimizing current operations but for planning future investments. At Balcones Recycling, AI insights are being used to make the business case for upgrades. “It helps us understand what we should be doing, what we’re not doing yet, and what’s actually worth recovering,” said Mariel.

Still, as Marcinko cautioned, not all MRFs are created equal. “There are over 180 facilities across the U.S., most of them mechanical, and very few have advanced AI yet,” he said. That means while the data revolution is underway, its full potential won’t be realized until adoption is more widespread, and funded.

To that end, Closed Loop Partners has stepped in to help accelerate deployment. “We invested in Greyparrot because we saw the potential of AI to reduce waste to landfill, improve material quality, and make the entire system more efficient and resilient,” said Kristin Taylor, director of catalytic capital at Closed Loop. “It’s not just about brands or MRFs, it’s about connecting all the dots across the value chain with real-world insights.”

Looking ahead, speakers were optimistic that AI would help close the longstanding gap between design and recovery. “We talk a lot about collaboration, but not enough of it happens,” Duthilleul noted. “With data, we can start having those conversations based on facts.”

A Collective Push for More and Better Capture

Smarter sortation alone won’t close the loop. While AI is transforming what happens inside the MRF, circularity depends just as much on what enters the system and how. That’s where collaboration becomes essential. From curbside bins to policy rollouts, partnerships are emerging as a driving force behind more effective and inclusive recycling.

When it comes to increasing recovery rates for beverage packaging, groups like the American Beverage Assn. (ABA), a government lobbying group that represents the non-alcoholic beverage industry in the U.S, and the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), a trade association representing the U.S. metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers, are leaning into partnerships to tackle both the supply and demand sides of the circularity equation.

Megan Daum, VP of sustainability at ABA, pointed to the growing patchwork of EPR legislation as a critical step toward boosting access and infrastructure. But passing laws is only the beginning. “We need a lot more of this stuff coming through the system,” she said, referring to recycled feedstock. “We want to incorporate more recycled content, but the supply needs to be there.”

That supply hinges on upgrading the entire recycling ecosystem, from curbside collection to the performance of MRFs. “If you’re sending

Megan Daum, VP of sustainability for the American Beverage Assn. (ABA), and Scott Breen, SVP of sustainability for the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI)

all beautiful clean material to MRFs that don’t have robots, that don’t have AI, did you really do good and get the system to circularity? No,” said Daum.

That realization shaped the structure of Every Bottle Back, a $100 million initiative launched by ABA in 2019. The program funds education and access, but it also ensures that improved inputs are matched with upgraded MRFs that can capture those materials effectively.

CMI likewise is focused on targeted interventions. Scott Breen, the association’s SVP of sustainability, described how the group has invested in AI-powered sorting robots for last-chance lines where valuable containers are often lost to landfill. For example, CMI funded robots at

Caglia Environmental, a waste solutions company in California, and at Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) in the Chicagoland area. Under this model, CMI pays for the robot and shares in the revenue generated from the recovered aluminum. “Every quarter I get a performance report on how many cans each day that robot captured, along with a check for the aluminum,” Breen explained. “That money goes back into our system.”

While aluminum cans are already the most recycled and most valuable beverage container, Breen noted that in many parts of the country, more than 40% still end up in landfills. He emphasized that deposit return systems (DRS) are also a critical part of the solution. “A welldesigned deposit system is the best way to get more aluminum back, and to get it back clean,” he said.

CMI has been vocal about including aluminum beverage cans in

state-level policy discussions. Breen also pointed to the role of EPR in making DRS systems more politically viable and economically sound. These interventions and collaborations not only generate more material for recycling, but also demonstrate how industry stakeholders can build feedback loops that support both environmental and business goals. EverestLabs’ Ambati, whose robots power many of these recovery efforts, stressed the potential, saying, “There is absolutely an incredible amount of volume of material that can still be recovered with these partnerships.”

For Daum, such partnerships also reflect a broader commitment to fixing a fragmented system. With more than 9,000 different recycling programs in the U.S., achieving national scale is daunting, but she remains optimistic “You have to start somewhere,” she said. “And passing seven EPR laws is a really good start.”

New Research Hub Tackles Packaging Challenges

The Center for Plastics, Paper, and Hybrid Packaging End-of-Life Solutions, known as C3PS, is a new research hub focused on solving complex packaging challenges through industry and academic collaboration.

Formed in April through the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Center program, C3PS brings together eight universities, 24 professors, and a growing group of industry partners to fund and guide applied research. “It’s research against specific industry needs,” said Thomas Osip, industry liaison officer. “It’s not research for research’s sake.”

Thomas Osip, industry liaison officer for the Center of Plastics, Paper and Hybrid Packaging End-of-Life Solutions (C3PS)

Backed by NSF funding and powered by industry input, C3PS aims to develop scalable, sustainable packaging innovations that individual companies may find too

risky or complex to tackle alone. Members help identify the problems, vote on which research proposals move forward, and receive royalty-free access to the results. “We take the industry members and ask them, what do you wish you could have but you can’t now?” explained Osip. Early focus areas include PFASfree coatings, compostable barriers, chemical recycling with lower emissions, and restoring the performance of PCR, all while working to develop a skilled workforce.

Full membership is $50,000 annually, with associate memberships available at half the cost. Osip encouraged packaging companies to consider budgeting for 2026. “If this is something your company is interested in, it’s budgetplanning season. We’d love to have you involved.”

Tackling the Flexible Film Challenge Through Shared Solutions

Mono-material flexible films, typically made from polyethylene, remain one of the toughest packaging materials to recycle because they’re lightweight, often contaminated, and not widely accepted in curbside programs or processed at scale. Yet the pace of progress is picking up, driven by collaboration, better data, and targeted strategies.

In his session, “Collaborations to Scale Flexible Film Recycling in the U.S.,” Kurt Kurzawa senior director of the Flexible Film Recycling Alliance (FFRA), a self-funded initiative of the Plastics Industry Assn. (PLASTICS), opened with a reminder that flexible packaging is the second largest packaging type in the U.S., behind only corrugated. “Flexible film as a whole continues to grow,” he said. “So this problem keeps getting bigger and bigger.” While it’s estimated that roughly 9 million tons of flexible packaging are generated each year in the U.S., current recycling rates are less than 1%.

One bright spot is store drop-off. According to Kurzawa, Americans return about 114,000 tons of flexible film annually through store dropoff programs, which is about 11 times more than is collected curbside. But that’s still only a fraction of what’s out there.

To improve collection and capture, FFRA relaunched the online Flexible Film Recycling Directory in early 2025. “We already have over 20,000 drop-off locations listed and more than 85,000 unique users,” said Kurzawa. What’s more, users are spending time engaging with the site, clicking through FAQs and even taking quizzes to better understand what’s recyclable and how to prepare it. “Those are some pretty big numbers when you’re talking about consumer engagement,” he added.

FFRA’s work also extends beyond collection. The group has convened a peer collaborative of organizations, including the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), The Recycling Partnership (TRP), the American Chemistry Council (ACC), CAA, and others to harmonize efforts across the value chain. Together, they’ve launched three shared workstreams focused on California strategy, national policy alignment, and end-market mapping. The goal is to move in lockstep to make recycling film economically viable and scalable.

End-market development is particularly urgent. Although some existing infrastructure is underutilized today, FFRA projects that if California reaches its 2032 target of 65% recycling, current reprocessing capacity would only be able to handle about 7% of the volume. “There needs to be a tremendous amount of investment in processing,” Kurzawa said.

Consumer education is another critical piece. FFRA is working with the Shelton Group and the FPA on a study to pinpoint which messages can shift behavior in an attempt to move people from “rarely” to “sometimes” to “most of the time” when it comes to separating and returning film packaging. According to Kurzawa, results of the study will be revealed at the FPA’s FlexForward 2025 conference in November. “Obviously it’s an involvement in community, but we’re trying to tease those insights out right now,” he explained.

Kurt Kurzawa, senior director, sustainability and packaging at the Flexible Film Recycling Alliance

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Regarding collection, there is growing interest in curbside access. “Ultimately, that’s the North Star,” Kurzawa said. However, economics make that goal difficult to reach, with residential curbside film recycling costing roughly $3,000 per ton to process. Still, technology like optical sortation and AI is making it easier, and FFRA is working with groups like CAA and others to explore curbside-retail hybrid models. Pilots like a secondary sort facility in Chicago, supported by FFRA and TRP, aim to demonstrate the added value of recovering film from MRF bales and diverting it to viable end markets.

As efforts to expand recovery evolve, so too does the need for clearer guidance on what’s truly recyclable. That’s where How2Recycle is stepping in with a data-backed response. Paul Nowak, executive director of GreenBlue, another FFPA partner, shared that the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) will be launching a new collaborative focused on non-curbside labels, including store drop-off, municipal drop-off, and subscription services. The goal is to improve labeling language and design, and ensure that what’s communicated to consumers reflects actual system performance. “Store drop-off is in these conversations not because it’s store drop-off,” said Nowak, “but because it’s a stream of recyclability.”

As more brands rely on store drop-off to meet EPR requirements, How2Recycle is working to future-proof the label, ensuring it remains both legally compliant and operationally feasible. “This is happening,” said Nowak. “It will continue to evolve. The label will not go away.”

Together, these efforts represent a multi-pronged push to give flex-

ible films a fighting chance at circularity. “Flexible films aren’t going anywhere,” Kurzawa said. “And unless we want to totally change the way we process material, we need to work with our competition to get the industry there collectively.” S A R

Paul Nowak, executive director of GreenBlue

Danone’s Holistic Approach to Packaging Innovation

As associations, technology suppliers, and recyclers work to improve recovery at end of life, brands are starting the process earlier in the chain. At Danone, that means rethinking everything from materials and format to recovery and reuse. In a session that blended personal storytelling with sharp technical insight, Kory Nook, VP of packaging research and innovation at Danone, laid out a path forward, rooted in consumer expectations, system-wide collaboration, and iterative but intentional change. Danone, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, has set ambitious 2030 goals. It has committed to halving its carbon footprint from packaging, cutting virgin fossil-based plastics in half, and ensuring that 100% of its packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable. That last part, Nook noted, is focused squarely on recyclability. “We talk a lot about reusable, compostable. Those are still emerging. They’re also still failing,” he said, pointing to lingering issues around performance and scalability.

To move the needle, Danone has embraced a value-chain approach. That means working across sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and end-of-life, not just tweaking packaging specs in isolation. “You really have to look at all three of those to get to four,” Nook said, referring to the need to align consumer acceptance, supply chain readiness, and brand strategy in order to create solutions that actually scale.

Some of Danone’s recent launches show what that looks like in practice. For its International Delight creamer, the company replaced an

HDPE bottle and PETG label with a PET bottle and CPET shrink sleeve. The bottles are now blow-molded in-house, which reduces emissions resulting from transport of empty packaging, and are now fully recyclable. “The consumer doesn’t have to peel the label off. They throw it in the bin,” Nook explained. The result: better recyclability, a lower carbon footprint, a lighter weight, and improved visual appeal, all while reducing freight and handling costs.

On the yogurt side, the company has simplified the multi-component cup for its Dannon Light + Fit brand into a polypropylene cup with a biaxially oriented PP label, reducing packaging elements by nearly half. “Fully recyclable, lower cost—win, win, win,” Nook said.

Another yogurt package redesign, for Oikos Pro, involved a move from a heavier cup to a lighter one that delivers the same functionality with significantly less plastic. “It’s like six blue whales of plastic weight saved across our entire portfolio in North America,” he added.

Still, not every transformation is easy or profitable from the start. Moving from polystyrene to PET or PP cups, for example, requires major investment and buy-in from brand teams. “If I say, ‘I need ten million bucks to launch a bottle that’s better for the planet but won’t sell more product,’ that’s a hard conversation,” Nook admitted. “But if I show that it lifts brand reputation or improves shelf appeal, resulting in two to three points of growth, for example, that’s how we get there.”

Consumer communication plays a big role, too. Danone has been a longtime user of the How2Recycle label and one of the early adopters of TRP’s RecycleCheck QR code label, a mobile tool that geo-locates recyclability guidance. The goal is to keep reminding consumers and to make recycling as seamless as possible. “If it’s not convenient, I’m not doing it,” he said, calling out the need to nudge behavior through cues on-pack and in-store. “But if I see something, it might make me react. It might move that needle up a tiny bit.”

Because no solution works in isolation, Nook emphasized the need for shared accountability and long-haul partnerships. “If we all spend a little more time building routines, working collectively, being engaged with our communities, and helping each other out,” he said, “we’ll set ourselves up for a better future.”

Kory Nook, VP of packaging research and innovation for Danone

Tums Explores Circular Options with Bio-based Resin

As more brands take a ground-up approach to packaging innovation, they’re looking for solutions that can drive circularity while delivering on climate goals. For global consumer healthcare company Haleon, that meant reevaluating material choices for its iconic antacid brand Tums. Working closely with suppliers across the value chain, Haleon switched to a recyclable bio-based resin for its Tums bottle, aiming to cut carbon emissions without disrupting its performance or appearance, or the consumer experience.

Nate McCrary, director, business development at LyondellBasell, shared the details during a session that also included project partner Pretium Packaging. The new bottle is made from renewable feedstocks and is fully recyclable in existing infrastructure. “This is a mass-balanced, bio-based material,” he explained, “which means we’re replacing fossil resources with renewable content while maintaining the same quality, consistency, and compatibility with recycling systems.”

Making the rollout easier, the transition didn’t require new tooling or a redesign of the bottle. That compatibility was key, said McCrary, noting that Haleon didn’t want to ask consumers to adjust their behavior. The company also needed to keep manufacturing, labeling, and distribution intact. The bio-based resin helped check those boxes while

delivering a carbon footprint reduction of about 70% compared to virgin fossil-based plastic.

McCrary added that this kind of collaboration, between brand owners, material suppliers, and converters, is what makes scalable change possible. “If we’re really going to transition the industry, we have to work together to create solutions that don’t compromise on functionality,” he said.

Lisa Huett, director of sustainability for Pretium Packaging, and Nate McCrary, director of business development for LyondellBasell

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Once Upon a Farm Starts Small to Spark Broader Systems Change

While Haleon is testing what’s possible with new materials, other brands are focusing on creating new recovery pathways for the formats they already use. Organic baby food and snack company Once Upon a Farm is taking that approach, working incrementally to improve outcomes for flexible packaging through a partnership with Recyclops, a tech-enabled recycling company specializing in hard-to-recycle materials.

As noted earlier, flexible film recycling remains a huge challenge, especially for food packaging with complex structures. But rather than wait for perfect conditions or widespread infrastructure, Once Upon a Farm chose to act. “We don’t let complexity equal complacency,” said Madeline Tien, sustainability specialist at Once Upon a Farm.

ments and trust that they’re telling the truth.”

The partnership with Recyclops enables a consumer mail-back program for the brand’s all-PE pouches, which were redesigned last year to reduce plastic use by 20% and move away from a multi-material format. Although it’s a mono-material package, food residue and the closure prohibit store-drop off. While the Recyclops program doesn’t solve for this, it provides transparency and real end-of-life processing through building materials recycler CRDC Global, where the collected pouches are converted into concrete aggregate.

For an emerging brand with a small sustainability team, the program’s value goes beyond collection. “This program is a way for us to take small but meaningful actions to support broader industry change,” Tien said. That includes building awareness, proving out end markets, and using data to inform strategy. “We can see a lot of information that tells us about how they’re using pouch mail-back,” she added, noting that insights like weekday label-printing trends help shape engagement efforts.

From Recyclops’ perspective, creating transparency is both a value and a business advantage. “Transparency is our number one core value,” said Ryan Smith, CEO of Recyclops. “Consumers are demanding that transparency of brands. And brands want to be able to make state-

That openness has also helped foster unusual collaboration. Once Upon a Farm and CRDC Global were able to connect directly, something that rarely happens in recycling supply chains. “Both sides loved it,” Smith said. “And I got to just sit back and watch.”

While participation rates in mail-back programs remain modest, they offer proof points that can lay the groundwork for future solutions. “If there were great end markets for complex materials, we wouldn’t be here today,” Smith said. “But part of this is creating broader system change… and stair-stepping our way up to where we want to be.”

For Tien, it’s not about claiming that mail-back is the ultimate answer. It’s about learning what works. “Even small-scale efforts can instill insights that we hope will pave the way down the road for broader impact,” she said. “Transparency and collaboration are really vital in moving the needle forward on flexible film recycling.”

Summit Closes with Shared Momentum

The 2025 Packaging Recycling Summit made clear that while challenges remain, momentum is building across policy, design, and recovery. Collaboration, better data, and new technologies are helping brands, recyclers, and solution providers align around practical solutions that can scale.

For brands and solution providers alike, the path forward involves transparency, experimentation, and shared responsibility. As Danone’s Nook advised, “This is a journey, and you’ve got to be realistic about where you are on that journey. Start to build the capabilities, and over time you’ll get there.”

Added Tein, “What really matters is the willingness to collaborate and to experiment and try something new and to keep moving forward, even in the face of complexity.” PW

Madeline Tien, sustainability specialist at Once Upon a Farm, and Ryan Smith, CEO of Recyclops

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Soules Foods Serves as Proving Ground for Breakthrough Robotics

When the packaging team at Soules Foods saw its new case packing system in action for the first time, the reaction was unanimous: this was not just another automation upgrade. According to the company, it was something different—more compact and more intelligent than anything they’d seen before.

By Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor

Soules Foods is a brand built on consistency and innovation, known across the U.S. for its high-quality, ready-to-cook and fully cooked meat and poultry products, many under its own consumer brand Soules Kitchen. The company’s products can be found from retail shelves to foodservice locations, and demand keeps pushing the company to grow. Its newest facility in Valley, Ala.—one of the most advanced poultry plants in North America—is a case in point. Beyond adding production capacity, the new site represents a shift toward high-efficiency automation, enabling the company to tackle rising demand, persistent labor

challenges, and increasingly diverse product lines.

In 2024, the Valley team turned to Delkor Systems to solve a suite of pressing needs for operations that involved packing bags of proteins, chicken nuggets for instance, into corrugated cases. Requirements included boosting packaging speeds, reducing floor space, and simplifying changeovers across a broad mix of SKUs. The answer came in the form of EVO, a patented, vision-guided, six-axis cartesian robotic case packer that the company says is 33% smaller and as much as 50% faster than current technology.

“EVO has been a perfect match for us with increased productivity, labor reduction, and improved ergonomics,” says John Cardin, operations manager at Soules Foods. “We were able to increase productivity with it pretty much instantaneously.”

Why change?

Before EVO, Soules Foods had already invested in robotic automation. But like many processors, the company found limitations. Speed ceilings, long changeovers, and large machine footprints left little room for growth. As product diversity expanded from 1-lb retail bags to 5-lb foodservice SKUs, the gaps in flexibility became more apparent.

Today, Soules Foods relies on the EVO system to handle a wide range of bagged product formats destined for major retail outlets, including Walmart, grocery chains, and club stores. The line accommodates everything from smaller retail packs—such as 16- and 28-oz bags in 10and 12-count case configurations—to heavier foodservice-style SKUs like 5-lb bags in 2-, 4-, and 6-count cases. Whether packed in standard or specialty cases like Delkor’s Cabrio Case, the EVO platform delivers the flexibility and performance needed to manage this SKU diversity efficiently, Cardin’s team says.

Traditional delta or articulated robotic arm systems often required complicated upstream conveyance to singulate products, resulting in more cost, more space, and more integration headaches.

“When we saw the [EVO] machine for the first time, we noticed the footprint was quite small. I was extremely surprised to see its increased productivity, running 40% faster,” Cardin says.

Evolution of a machine system

Four years ago, a team of Delkor engineers came to Dale Andersen, Delkor’s CEO and owner, with a proposal. They believed they had a design concept for a new generation of vision-based robotic case packers that would break through two technical barriers that exist globally.

“If our engineers were correct, their concept would redefine what is possible with vision-based robotic case packing,” Andersen says. “In the end, I approved a multi-year R&D effort we named Project EVO. In 2024 Delkor completed two EVO case packing lines, one monoblock line for demonstration at PACK EXPO Chicago, and a second line for installation at one of our customers’ plants, to prove out this new technology in production. And since January 2025 EVO has been performing in two-shifts per week at Soules Foods. Our engineers have been able to validate every metric we had hoped to achieve.”

According to Andersen, Delkor’s EVO rethinks what robotic case packing should look like. He says that it’s not just a faster robot; it’s a different architecture altogether—built from the ground up to solve for the pain points faced by operations like Soules Foods.

Speed with simplicity

At the Alabama facility, each EVO cell picks two products concurrently while using advanced vision to track product position and orientation in real-time. That means case packing as fast as 70 products/min, per 5-ft cell—all without the jerky, forced motion common to highspeed systems. In fact, according to the company, EVO’s vision infeed runs up to 200 ft/min, nearly double what legacy technology allows.

“That eliminates the need for complex upstream lane dividers and separating conveyors,” says Tanner Tomblin, maintenance technician at Soules Foods. “When product comes in and it’s turned sideways, or the orientation’s wrong, or the spacing’s off, it can overcome that. I think that’ll improve not just what we can do, but the kind of products that we can run.”

Soules Foods engineers had the future in mind when specifying the EVO machine installation. The modular EVO architecture supports configurations from one to four robotic cells, capable of packing up to 280 products/min, with products being bags or pouches ranging from as small 2 oz, all the way up to 30 lb. Soules began with a two-cell system running 140 bags/min, with the option to scale up as demand grows.

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Soules Foods’ nuggets enter EVO for dual-pick, vision-guided case loading.

Soules Foods’ compact two-cell EVO system—each five-ft cell is capable of 70 picks/min.

The EVO’s end-of-arm tooling in this application has 3 in. of compliance, allowing it to easily pick up irregularly shaped bags and pouches, making it ideal for Soules Foods’ production of large bags of patties, nuggets, and diced products, the companies say.

EVO’s high speed and compact footprint don’t compromise run time, the brand owner says. An integrated case former includes an internal magazine that holds up to 500 B-flute corrugated blanks—approximately three times the runtime of a traditional case erector.

Eye for the future and scaling

Soules Foods engineers began the EVO machine trials viewing flexibility for future growth as a critical, make-or-break feature. After all, other EVO installations might be in the cards for this or other facilities in coming years—but each installation might have different specific application requirements. Since it’s available as a monoblock or modular system, and in inline or counterflow formats, EVO can be reconfigured to fit nearly any layout that Soules might need, in any facility: tight, curved, or split across levels. EVO adapts without sacrificing speed or accuracy, the protein producer observes.

For now, the new facility affords Soules Foods some breathing room, but demand has the company growing. If it were to need the tech, a 1-cell monoblock EVO case packer easily fits into its existing floor plans, replacing longer, less efficient layouts. In fact, the full case packing solution—including forming, loading, and sealing—can be accomplished in as little as 25 ft of line length and 6 ft in width.

Vertical startups, warped board correction

The team at Soules Foods also says it appreciates the equipment’s simple changeovers and vertical startups, eliminating the long, unproductive ramp up period that many systems require to get to running speed. That simple changeover and vertical startup comes from Delkor’s patent-pending SmartLock technology, which the company says “simplifies changeovers visually.” Soules’ operators move each change point until a green light confirms it’s locked on target. It’s simple and error proof. The HMI tracks progress and automatically locks once setup is complete—an EVO case packing line can change over in less than 10 minutes. At Soules Foods’ Valley facility, most changeovers on the EVO take less than four minutes.

Visit pwgo.to/8881, or scan the QR code, to watch video of the packaging line in action, including commentary from stakeholders at Soules Foods.

Another optional module that Soules Foods is considering is EVO’s integrated case forming system that employs a patented, laser-guided technique to eliminate warp in corrugated—forming perfectly square cases even from lower-grade corrugated materials in humid and dry environments.

“Warped corrugated is the number one issue in a lot of plants, and

Soules Foods has trouble with it, too,” says Kevin Weiss, VP of operations at Delkor Systems. “Inconsistent material can shut down even the most efficient lines. Delkor’s new corrugated warp correction technology solves the issue, allowing for three times the PMMI standard.”

Ultimately, in an era of SKU proliferation and an always-widening range of products and pack formats, Soules Foods has to be ready for what’s next. That’s why the company noticed that Delkor’s case formers have been awarded four patents for tackling the issue and can make small, 4-in shelf ready displays all the way up to quarter pallet trays.

Fully integrated line

Frozen nuggets exit the spiral freezer and are distributed across five vertical baggers, each paired with combination scales for accurate portioning. From there, filled bags are conveyed via a Delkor-built transport system that directs products to multiple downstream packaging lines. Packaging World inquired about all the equipment on the line, but Soules Foods only disclosed Delkor as a manufacturer.

Each bag passes through an X-ray scanner and checkweigher for quality and weight verification before entering the case packing stage. At this point, the EVO case packer uses its vision-guided cartesian robots to pick and place bags into corrugated cases based on size, orientation, and pack pattern. Once loaded, cases proceed through another checkweigher to confirm overall weight and case count.

Following verification, cases are labeled with labeling equipment that applies required product and shipping information. Palletizing is

In this close-up of the gantry system within Soules Foods’ EVO, we see each head tracking product position and orientation independently.

Visual simplicity in changeovers is achieved with Delkor’s SmartLock, which guides Soules Foods’ operators with repeatable results (above).

Patented tech aligns and tensions warped corrugated blanks to up to three times the industry warp tolerance (right).

performed by a Delkor-designed system, and final load containment is handled by a stretch wrapper.

For internal logistics, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) manage the movement of pallets—delivering empty ones to the line and transporting full, wrapped loads to freezer storage. This setup allows for continuous operation and limits manual material handling on the floor.

and significantly improved downstream automation reliability.

Weiss explains, “Being a true automation partner means going beyond machinery—we actively help our customers with case and carton design. That’s why we invested in a full-service Packaging Lab and brought an in-house packaging engineer on board six years ago. We offer this service at no charge, and even the largest CPG companies have found it to be an effective way to validate new packaging concepts. With our collaboration, we’re able to accomplish in a few days what might take months working through traditional corrugated suppliers. It’s been very rewarding to watch our customers save hundreds of thousands of dollars through smarter, more efficient designs.”

Sanitation, service, and support

Given the nature of its products, Soules Foods maintains the highest hygienic standards and requires the utmost in washdown capability in its equipment. That’s why the company was attracted to EVO, which is built completely from stainless steel, including guarding and minimal surfaces for hygienic environments. The design is easy to wash down, yet robust enough for 24/7 industrial use, the brand owner says.

Delkor served as the lead integrator for the full secondary packaging line at Soules Foods, overseeing the design, build, and integration of all equipment and conveyance systems. Prior to installation, a complete factory acceptance test (FAT) was conducted at Delkor’s Minneapolis headquarters to ensure system readiness and performance. This soupto-nuts automation solution allowed Soules Foods to scale up production while maintaining tight control over labor, space utilization, and product quality.

Packaging engineering as a service

As part of the project, Delkor’s in-house Packaging Lab helped Soules Foods redesign its case formats to maximize efficiency. By moving from RSC to flat-blank formats—including Delkor’s patented Cabrio Case and club store trays—Soules Foods cut down on both material use and machine changeover times. Soules Foods says that the use of flatblank cases (instead of RSCs) saved up to 22% on corrugated materials

Smart diagnostics, remote support tools, and standard controls (including robot controls) make maintenance straightforward and scalable and for seamless operation and avoid redundant controls systems and teach pendants.

Delkor’s on-site training, remote diagnostics, and modular replacement strategies ensure Soules Foods’ long-term uptime and flexibility to add new SKUs and formats.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, Soules Foods continues to rely on Delkor for support as it evaluates the next phase of automation at its Valley facility. The two teams have been working together to optimize the current line, with a focus on increasing speeds and demonstrating the full efficiency potential of the EVO system. This effort plays a key role in helping Soules Foods build a case for additional automation investments at the site.

A quote is already in place for a second EVO system—a single-cell unit—which would provide added flexibility and capacity. As demand continues to grow and SKU variety expands, the partnership remains central to planning future upgrades. PW

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ROBOTICS IN PACKAGING

Top-Down or Bottom-Up? Blend Both for Automation Success

What happens when you bring line workers into the conversation about automation? This article explores how blending a top-down strategy with frontline insight can lead to smarter, more successful robotics projects.

By Liz Cuneo, Senior Editor

When justifying and purchasing plant automation, many things are factored in, and many people are involved. But where does the justification come from: the top or bottom? According to a Harvard Business Review article, “A Smarter Strategy for Using Robots,” by Ben Armstrong and Julie Shah (March/April 2023), when firms use a top-down approach to automation, the primary goal is often to maximize productivity. But senior leaders making decisions can sometimes lack the detailed understanding of what the process entails and how much flexibility should be built into the automation.

The adverse of that is what we dig into in this article: a bottomup approach that puts line employees with the closest perspective on how a process is run in charge of recommending and developing how it is automated. Of course, as with most processes and decisions, it’s never really all or nothing, and many companies take a collaborative approach to equipment purchasing and implementation.

“There’s definitely some knowledge and economic opportunity that managers can see that line workers can’t,” says Ben Armstrong, author of the HBR article. “But I do think that a respect and appreciation for what the line workers might see could help to identify where the automation is possible. ...Your line worker is probably going to know when a process is too variable, and automation is not actually going to work.”

Because oftentimes upper management is physically and mentally removed from the site of manufacturing, they may have different ideas when it comes to automation. “The higher up you are, the further away you are from the manufacturing site, and your ability to see and communicate with the people about what’s going on on the floor becomes more difficult,” says Ramiro Gomez, general manager of Intelligent Foods West.

Bridging the understanding gap is only possible with clear communication and col-

laboration, especially as the different groups may have different motivations behind the automation project.

“Senior leaders want to automate the biggest pain point in production,” says Misa Ilkhechi, co-founder of Formic, a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) provider. “People on the floor understand the limitations better, but most of the time, decisions are often driven by senior management. We mostly talk to the guys on the line—they help us determine the process.”

Breaking down silos

Communication between C-suite and operations (or maintenance) is key to making the correct equipment choice. The brass/C-suite/management teams have a certain set of goals and KPIs, but they’re not always knowledgeable of what happens on the shop floor. Communication between those two (and other) constituencies is the only way to break down the silos.

“Often, we’ll find that communication between management ownership and what actually is going on on the floor in terms of challenges have not been communicated accurately,” says Patrick Coakley of Plant Automation Group. “The two teams often don’t spend enough time together understanding or appreciating what each other does, what motivates each other.”

Coakley also warns that C-suite and management should be careful to respect and listen to the information that “bubbles up” from the shop floor. And in cases where the right people aren’t on the shop floor at all, the project is doomed to fail.

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“I think a lot of the time, ownership management sometimes has a difficult time respecting a seasoned operator or maintenance staff and learning what the real challenges are beyond, ‘How many a minute can we run?’ or ‘How efficient can we be on paper?’ Instead, they should listen to that maintenance department person or operator who sometimes is overlooked by the upper echelons of a company,” Coakley says.

Collaboration is key

While some experts agree there is a misalignment of project goals from upper management to line workers, many already experience a more collaborative approach where upper management understands both the need for productivity and flexibility.

“I would take issue with that [misalignment],” says Craig Souser, president and CEO, JLS Automation. “From our experience, I think the top management is pretty aware of the need for flexibility, and they are the ones articulating it in many cases.”

Eric Rohlf of BW Integrated Systems, a primary packaging, labeling, and end-of-line packaging systems provider, says he doesn’t see robotic justification as purely top down.

“I’m going to actually give CPGs a little bit of credit and say that it’s not something that you see a lot of anymore,” says Rohlf. “I’ve seen very large companies bringing in plant engineers, maintenance supervisors, and even operators to ask their opinions when we go through some of these larger product projects. We know that ultimately, you’ll have many happier customers, successful installations, and repeat business if

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Justifying Automation: A Team Checklist

Justifying automation requires feedback from more than just top executives and C-suites. If you’re thinking of adopting robotics into your line, consider talking with various teams, especially the people who work with the equipment or product every day. It can be beneficial for the decision-making team to understand how the equipment is washed, how it should operate, and how line workers interact with it. The team also should consider any future needs that could affect the machinery. Bring in the following teams to get a comprehensive view of your automation project and the next best steps:

• Line workers

• Marketing

• Operators

• Sales

• Maintenance

• Sanitation team

• Manufacturing engineers

Source: Kuka

Why?

Involving employees in the decision-making process early on ensures their buyin of the technology and will increase their comfort level. It will help them not only understand the new technology, but it will also give them a chance to offer insights into the automation project as a whole. Several manufacturers agree that involving employees in the automation process early alleviates some of the questions, and anxiety, that might surround an automation project and have employees asking, ‘Are you eliminating my job?’ When you involve them early, it:

1. Creates an excitement around the investment and involves employees in the selection process.

2. Points to opportunities such as higher-paying positions for skilled labor.

3. Assists in training your best employees to tend to the robotic system.

4. Enables employees to grow into better roles and grow their careers.

In the HBR article, co-author Ben Armstrong states that research shows automation that can be flexibly tasked and directed by line employees enhances and accelerates the workers’ and the company’s ability to innovate. Final takeaway: Bring various teams in early for the best success. PW

you really meet the needs of what’s going to be required, not just meet the upfront needs.”

For a successful installation, an adequate supply of information and insight is needed regarding the current project’s needs, as well as future needs. When adding in automation, Travis Powell, engineering team leader – automation, Schreiber Foods, says it’s a true team effort. “It’s important to get feedback not only from sales and marketing, but also from operators, the maintenance team, and the sanitation team to understand how the equipment is washed, how it needs to operate, and what’s going to give them the best access,” says Powell.

Then there is the idea of looking at all aspects of the operations to make the best determination for the right equipment.

“We begin with a concept of operations,” says Kary Zate, Sr., director marketing communications, Locus Robotics. “We’ll be talking to the C-suite in terms of, how does this empower them for high productivity, high efficiency, cost savings, other elements like that. And then you start talking to the warehouse manager, and the warehouse manager is looking at it and saying, ‘How do I get the most out of my people? How do I make sure they can do the jobs easily?’ and so on. So, they want to make it efficient, but they also want to make it, you know, a reasonable place to work in that respect. So we take a lot of that into account.”

As you’ve read here, the scenario for CPG automation implementation is far from top management making decisions in a silo. Cross-team communication and realistic goals for the project are key to automation implementation success, and the industry appears to be pushing for a more collaborative approach from both line workers and top management.

Is a bottom-up approach feasible?

In a bottom-up approach, line employees with the closest perspective on how a process is run are in charge of recommending and developing how it’s automated. The HBR article suggests that a bottom-up approach can be very powerful. But is that feasible in the CPG space? Is this a novel idea or the new normal?

“One of the trends we’ve seen, particularly in American companies, is undervaluing the knowledge of the frontline worker close to the fac-

tory floor and what they have to contribute,” says article co-author Armstrong. “There are some companies that genuinely make this part of their culture. They say, ‘It’s required that you share your ideas, and we really think that coming up with ideas for improvement is part of being a member of this company.’ That seems to be very powerful.”

It’s powerful because it creates a culture where employees can bring up concerns or issues, or even make suggestions.

“Based on our experience and our culture, we rely on the frontline workers to come up with our automation ideas and initiatives,” says Chris Wilhelm, president of Coregistics, a contract packaging and logistics company. “We have a saying here that culture trumps process. Meaning that if you see something out on a production line or in the warehouse that we could be doing better or more efficiently or more effectively, then you would have a responsibility to bring that up and to say something and suggest a new way to do things.”

Source: Napco

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So, is an automation project that leverages the experience and insights from line workers that handle the equipment day in and day out likely to see the best success?

“The vast majority of the automation that we’ve implemented, the technology, the process improvements that we’ve done, have been suggested by frontline workers on production lines,” says Wilhelm. “If you give them the power and the ability to make those suggestions, and you actually listen, that’s where really great ideas come from.”

Sean Dotson, industry consultant, former owner of RND Automation, and founder of Automation AMA, a consulting agency that helps companies adopt automation, advocates that line employees should offer their perspective on automation recommendations and development because there may be discrepancies between what the operators and engineers believe to be true.

“When I would visit a facility when I owned RND, I would routinely speak to the operators doing the process manually. If I asked the manufacturing engineer if the parts were always flat, for example, they would usually say yes. I’d look at the operator, and they would be shaking their head no. The engineers often don’t even know the process well enough to speak to the many questions machine builders have,” he says. “So it’s 100% critical to have the operators involved from the start. They should also be involved in design reviews, safety assessments, and even the runoff at the integrator’s facility. They are the ones who are going to be using the machine. Have them find the ‘gotchas’ and the bugs that the engineering and purchasing departments would never find.”

Buy-in drives success

Other than gleaning line workers’ insights for better automation success, tapping into their knowledge and working with them collaboratively helps these workers feel a sense of ownership of the equipment. “The most important part for them is having buy-in, so they’re not afraid of this beast when it shows up,” says JLS’s Souser.

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Building a comfort level in employees around the new automation ensures they are not afraid of handling the new equipment, but also, they’re not afraid of it replacing their positions.

“I have seen a lot of instances where you have a good product with a lot of good features, but if the line workers aren’t trained, or are not open to adopting it, the product is dead,” says Rohit Kadam, director of the robotics division at the International Society of Automation, a non-profit technical society for engineers, technicians, businesspeople, educators, and students who work, study, or are interested in automation. “You spend so much time in training trying to convince the line workers to use it. But if it doesn’t give them that comfort level of, ‘OK, what I was doing before, I can now do the same thing by collaborating with this machine.’ Unless that comfort level is there, the workers won’t want to use the machine so much.”

In the RaaS world, Vecna Robotics deploys customer success managers who can track auto-

mation success in their customers’ plants and see if the equipment is being fully utilized.

“The success of a project is directly involved with line workers,” says Mick Clarke, industry sales manager, Vecna Robotics. “We have customer success managers who are assigned to an account, who meet with the leadership teams to go over the data on-site, see issues in this area, issues where utilization is low, and dig into why that’s happening. We can put some external pressure on the organization to start talking to those people and to start looking into it, and ask why they aren’t using it. And then the company starts learning that information. That’s how you really learn how to use it effectively, how to be flexible.”

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Building a team is critical

While not everyone in the organization has a say, creating a team of experts that can weigh in on the automation project from every angle in the business can prevent future problems down the road.

“I’ve had people in the processing area, people in the packaging area, people in the warehouse, where I can probably point to a couple in each area, and I can pull them into a room for a day and have a really good discussion and probably come up with solutions to 90% of my problems,” says Mike Reilly, vice president, engineering and quality at MSI Express. “You find those people to ask questions. ‘Why is that? Why do we do it like that?’ Those are the people you hold on to, and you always go back to them.”

Billy Goodman of Cama North America agrees that getting everybody in the same room will help prevent future headaches, even if it takes more time. “I’ve been in meetings where you only talk with procurement, and I say, ‘No offense, but can I please talk to someone else who actually uses the machinery?’ There are others that I really like where they’ll bring in operations, maintenance, and project management. They’ll bring in their materials people, and I have even asked them to bring in their marketing people. Let’s hear what they’re looking at today and tomorrow because they’re the ones who are going to dictate what’s going to go to market,” Goodman says.

A full bottom-up approach may not be the norm in most facilities, but getting input from the team helps decision-makers factor the most important aspects of the project. PW

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Source: Motion Controls

AI’s Impact on Robotics in Packaging: Smart Automation Meets Real-World Productivity

AI-driven robots are transforming packaging lines—from smart AMRs to vision-guided cobots—helping brand owners tackle SKU complexity, labor gaps, and automation with newfound speed, flexibility, and intelligence.

By Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor

At the beginning of 2025, the Germany-based International Federation of Robotics (IFR) predicted the top five robotics trends that it expected to see unfold over the coming year. Now that we’re on the back stretch of 2025, boy did those experts turn out to be on target when they picked analytical, generative, and physical artificial intelligence (AI) to aid robots as their number one area of impact.

“By leveraging diverse AI technologies, robotics can perform a wide range of tasks more efficiently: Analytical AI enables robots to process and analyze large amounts of data collected by their sensors. This helps to manage variability and unpredictability in the external environment, in high mix/low-volume’ production as well as in public environments. Robots equipped with vision systems, for example, analyze past tasks to identify patterns and optimize their operations for greater accuracy and speed,” the organization stated.

“Robot and chip manufacturers recently are investing in the development of dedicated hardware and software that simulate real-world environments. This so-called Physical AI allows robots to train themselves in virtual environments and operate by experience, rather than programming. These Generative AI projects aim to create a “ChatGPT moment” for Physical AI. This AI-driven robotics simulation technology will advance in traditional industrial environments as well as in service robotics applications,” IFR predicted omnisciently.

Let’s zoom into packaging robotics. Today, as packaging lines face increasing complexity—from SKU proliferation to labor volatility— robots and cobots infused with AI are no longer futuristic experiments. They’re operational tools delivering real productivity gains, particularly for brand owners and CPGs operating in high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) environments. In what follows, we break down how the latest generation of AI-enhanced robots, vision systems, mobile platforms, and control software are helping packaging professionals streamline changeovers, scale internal logistics, and drive flexible automation across packaging and fulfillment operations.

AMRs with Intelligence

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) have evolved from simple pointto-point movers into intelligent systems capable of decision-making on the fly—especially useful in packaging-adjacent spaces like distribution centers (DCs), warehouses, or end-of-line material handling zones.

ABB’s Flexley Mover P603 is a compact AMR that blends high payload capacity with AI-enabled navigation. It transports up to 1,500 kg and is guided by visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), enabling it to self-map its surroundings and adapt to changing environments—no fixed markers or floor guides required. The robot’s onboard AI continuously recalculates load distribution and route optimization based on center-of-gravity sensing, delivering sub-centimeter positioning accuracy.

For packaging environments, especially those connected to fulfillment operations, this intelligence provides a means of automating material movement between zones—such as conveying corrugate, pallets, totes, or kitted components between primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging stations. ABB’s AMR Studio 4.0 simplifies deployment via drag-and-drop programming, while its Fleet Manager synchronizes multi-robot coordination across complex layouts.

Source: ABB

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For packaging lines dealing with multiple SKUs, irregular product geometry, or fast conveyor-based picking, this solution improves robot autonomy and reduces mispicks. Because it separates the visual intelligence from the robot’s main controller, VX2 can accelerate response time while easing integration complexity. As a drop-in upgrade, it supports faster deployment and reduced downtime during product transitions.

Meanwhile, Agilox’s OFL (Omnidirectional Free Lifter) brings a decentralized AI approach to mobile robotics. The vehicle autonomously lifts and transports pallets up to 800 kg, but it’s the X-Swarm AI software that gives it a unique edge. Instead of relying on a centralized traf c controller, each OFL communicates peer-to-peer in real time, sharing location, intent, and task updates. This allows eets to dynamically reroute, reassign, and balance loads as packaging conditions change.

loads as packaging conditions change.

For CPGs managing high-throughput operations with frequent layout adjustments—such as alternating packaging cell con gurations or seasonal line retooling—the OFL system eliminates infrastructure rigidity. Its intelligence also provides a foundation for future predictive maintenance and simulation-driven layout planning, making it an infrastructure-light option for modern ful llment-enabled packaging hubs.

Vision-Driven intelligence: AI at EoaT

Machine vision, powered by AI, is unlocking new levels of precision for robotic arms tasked with inspection, pick-andplace, and nal packout or palletization. These tools help overcome challenges like part variability, improper orientation, or surface inconsistencies that previously required human intervention.

The VX2 Vision System from Oxipital AI merges high-resolution 2D and 3D imaging into a compact unit designed to be mounted on industrial or collaborative robots. Its AI engine enables real-time decisions like defect detection, object classi cation, and dynamic orientation adjustments—without requiring separate software or hardware to process the image stream.

’s MachineMotion AI controller, unveiled earlier this year, is part of a modular automation platform that uni es motion control, vision, sensing, and AI compute into one ecosystem. Most notably, it powers a bin-picking application using Nvidia Jetson Orin and Isaac CUDA-accelerated AI libraries. In live demonstrations, the robot used this stack to identify, classify, and grasp disorganized plumbing parts with submillimeter precision.

For packaging operations involving random product orientation—such as variety pack assembly or end-of-line sortation—this capability could sharply reduce misalignment-related downtime. Vention’s no-code environment and online simulation tools enable packaging teams to build and deploy these work ows without deep robotics expertise, supporting more accessible AI automation for brand manufacturers.

Vention

Source: Oxipital AI

Source: Vention

Cobot AI for Flexible Packaging Tasks

AI is now being built into collaborative robot (cobot) platforms to give them greater awareness, exibility, and adaptability. These robots are designed to work safely around humans and can adjust dynamically to changing packaging conditions.

The CL Series cobots from Kawasaki Robotics, built in collaboration with Neura Robotics, blend compact form factors with robust cognitive abilities. Designed with built-in environmental sensing, the robots can perceive and adapt to changes in their workspace—including product displacement, line layout variation, or box dimension changes. This allows them to handle multi-format case packing, custom bundling, or direct-to-carton packout without reprogramming.

By training tasks through demonstration rather than code, the CL Series minimizes changeover time and empowers packaging operators to deploy or recon gure robots independently. Their collaborative design requires no fencing, freeing up oor space and simplifying integration into existing packaging lines.

Universal Robots’ AI Accelerator is a compact, edge-processing module that allows UR cobots to run AI vision models natively at the robot arm. This NVIDIA-based toolkit enables functions like pose estimation, part classi cation, and surface anomaly detection, which can all be used to drive decision-making at the end-effector level.

For packaging lines that frequently switch between SKUs or handle unstructured bulk material, this can dramatically improve responsiveness and reduce downtime. The Accelerator also allows developers to integrate custom models using PolyScope X, creating opportunities for tailored applications such as robotic inspection, orientation correction, or smart palletizing in HMLV settings.

Source: Kawasaki Robotics

Source: Universal Robots

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Time to rethink end-of-line palletizing

Streamlined

Streamlined palletizing: RI20 with industrial robot arm handles 15 kg at 12 cycles/min.

Compact and mobile: adapts easily to recipe or line changes.

AI-driven palletizing: Mixed Palletizer handles various box sizes without preset patterns.

Easy-to-use: unique hardware and HMI ensure smooth operation.

Platforms for programming, simulation, and deployment

While not all platforms embed AI, many are being reimagined to support AI integration—especially by simplifying how systems are trained, tested, and deployed.

Kuka’s iiQKA.OS2 is a next-gen operating system that emphasizes ease-of-use and simulation-led deployment. Its web-based interface allows packaging engineers to build work ows, run digital twins, and experiment with AI vision integrations using optional NVIDIA acceleration boards.

For CPGs exploring packaging automation without dedicated programming teams, this platform reduces startup friction. While iiQKA.OS2 doesn’t directly include AI, it provides a ready environment for integrating third-party AI models for defect detection, camera-guided picking, or layout optimization—bridging the gap between conventional robotics and intelligent automation.

Palladyne IQ brings closed-loop autonomy to industrial robotics, allowing systems to adapt in real time without pre-scripted behaviors. It uses AI to interpret data from force sensors, encoders, and vision inputs, adjusting robotic actions on the y in response to environmental variability.

Although not packaging-speci c, this control logic could signicantly reduce reprogramming needs in packaging applications like bin picking, robotic case packing, or kitting. For brand owners with constantly shifting packaging SKUs, Palladyne provides a pathway to more generalized automation—with no-code deployment features that lower barriers to entry.

Source: Kuka

Source: Palladyne IQ

Still in beta, MoveIt Pro v6 from PickNik introduces diffusion modelbased learning that enables robots to mimic human-taught motions through demonstration. This kind of generative AI allows robotic systems to train on observed movements rather than hand-coded scripts, which could greatly reduce commissioning time for packaging tasks like sorting, palletizing, or complex orientation handling.

Source: PickNik

Its built-in simulation tools and behavior tree editor enable packaging engineers to visualize and iterate robotic workflows before deploying them on the floor. Especially for short-run or batch-based packaging lines, MoveIt Pro’s generative AI could offer faster responsiveness and broader task flexibility.

When it comes to food packaging sterilization, XENON is lighting

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Key Takeaways for Brand Owners and CPGs

Across these innovations, a few consistent patterns emerge. AI shines in high-mix, low-volume environments, where manual reprogramming would otherwise hinder agility. Vision and perception systems are no longer passive tools, but active decision-makers capable of adapting packaging actions in real time. AMRs are extending the reach of AI beyond the work cell, coordinating warehouse and packaging logistics with little or no infrastructure. And low-code and simulation platforms are closing the gap between robotics and plant-floor teams, allowing faster integration of intelligent automation.

Whether you’re retrofitting lines for increased SKU variation or building out flexible fulfillment and packaging capabilities, today’s AI-powered robotics offer a clear path to more adaptive, intelligent operations. PW

XENON’s Pulsed Light products are customized to meet your food packaging sterilization needs, integrating in-line sterilization solutions for fill and seal machines that process yogurt cups, wide mouth bottles, caps and lids. XENON manufactures custom lamps and housings and provides the comprehensive support required to meet your unique food packaging sterilization challenges.

Pulsed Light is the chemical-free solution for aseptic filling of food packages. Powered By XENON’s unique Pure Pulse Technology™, it quickly destroys harmful pathogens, leaving no residue behind. That’s why companies like Alfa Machine are incorporating Pulsed Light technology into their food packaging machinery.

Photo courtesy of Alfa Machine

AI-Driven Robotics Help Cafe Spice Leap Over Labor and Line Hurdles

By Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor

Cafe Spice is a producer of Indian and South Asian-inspired ready-to-eat meals both for its own stable of brands, and also as a contract manufacturer and packager. When leadership found themselves struggling to scale production amid tightening labor markets and operational bottlenecks, it turned to an (until recently) novel solution: AI-supported robotic automation. By partnering with Chef Robotics, the N.Y.–based food manufacturer and brand achieved a substantial increase in output, reduced food giveaway, and unlocked operational insights that went well beyond the capabilities of traditional automation systems—all while preserving the high product quality and precise tray presentation their retail customers have come to expect.

Cafe Spice production line featuring Chef Robotics’ AI-enabled arms depositing rice into dual-compartment trays. Robots work in tandem with line staff, ensuring precise placement and maintaining packaging presentation standards critical to retail-ready meals.

“One of our biggest challenges has been staffing,” said Giovanni Gomez, VP of quality at Cafe Spice. “For the past several years, staffing was very difficult due to many different hiring limitations that were occurring in the industry, which made it quite challenging for us to be able to continue scaling and expanding.”

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, labor participation rates in New York remained low, and the state’s minimum wage increase to $15 per hour in 2024 placed additional strain on the company’s operating margins. At the same time, demand for Cafe Spice’s meals—spanning twelve entrée SKUs with multiple portion sizes and tray configurations—continued to climb, intensifying the need for a scalable production solution.

Traditional automation technologies had failed to deliver the flexibility and precision required by Cafe Spice’s packaging operations. Manual tray filling processes, relying on operators to shift bowls down a table rather than using conveyors, capped throughput at about twelve trays per minute. The trays themselves, which feature dual compartments to separate rice from curry, required careful, spill-free deposits to meet Cafe Spice’s exacting standards. Minor misplacements or overfills often led to rework or rejection, while underfills triggered giveaway that directly cut into yield.

Chef Robotics’ AI-based perception system uses real-time camera vision and bounding boxes to verify tray fill levels and ingredient placement—ensuring accuracy, consistency, and reduced giveaway across high-mix production.

Faced with these challenges, Cafe Spice implemented a robotic system developed by Chef Robotics. Unlike traditional depositors, Chef’s solution integrated AI-enabled perception with a conveyor-based modular system, enabling precise, adaptable filling across a variety of tray types and ingredients. The robots were designed to be safely deployed alongside human workers, occupying a similar footprint, and were integrated directly onto Cafe Spice’s newly installed conveyor lines.

“The main reason we went with Chef was due to the large amount of different SKUs that we had to process. It gets quite complex when you have to do changeovers, when you’re talking about CIP systems, augers, depositors and volumetric filling equipment. So the Chef robots let us quickly replace utensils and get high efficiency on the line,” Gomez says. “The deployment process was quite simple and seamless. From the moment the robots arrived at our facility, the Chef team was on site, unboxing the robots, helping with the installation and guiding us throughout the entire process, until the robots were working on their own.”

According to Virgilio Felix, COO at Cafe Spice, the switch wasn’t just about automation—it was about insight. “The data insight with the Chef Robotics has been transformative. Previously, we took a sample every 30 minutes. Now, we have granular insight into every deposit in every tray, which allows us to make better business decisions and adjustments where warranted,” he says. That level of visibility came from Chef’s embedded sensors and management dashboard, which provided real-time access to every tray deposit from anywhere in the world.

The operational gains were immediate and measurable. Output on each production line increased from 10 to 15 trays per minute to an average of 30 trays per minute, resulting in a two- to threefold boost in throughput. This allowed Cafe Spice to consolidate production lines and expand capacity without expanding physical infrastructure. Labor productivity also saw a significant increase, as the number of workers needed per line dropped from eight to ten down to just three to four. Freed from repetitive tray-filling tasks, those workers were reallocated to other areas of the facility that had previously been understaffed.

Quality and yield also improved. Before deploying Chef robots, food giveaway averaged 9.19% due to overfilling, inconsistent placement, and underweight tray rejection. After implementation, giveaway dropped to just 3.05%—a 67% reduction. The acceptance rate for trays filled by robots reached 91%, compared to 75% for human-filled meals. These consistency improvements were achieved in part through a proprietary utensil designed by Chef to accommodate Café Spice’s viscous curry sauces and suspended meat chunks without spillage. The robots were also capable of adapting quickly to different SKUs and ingredients, with changeovers taking less than ten minutes.

From a business standpoint, Cafe Spice benefitted from Chef’s robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model, which replaced traditional capital expenditure with a flat monthly fee that included hardware, software updates, field support, and maintenance. This eliminated the need for a large upfront investment and enabled the company to scale at its own pace. Initially, Cafe Spice deployed four robots to partially automate two lines. Within weeks, that number doubled to eight, and the company is now in the process of onboarding another eight robots to fully automate both production lines with a total of sixteen.

For other CPGs navigating the dual pressures of labor shortages and operational complexity, the Cafe Spice case shows how a smart, packaging-specific application of robotics can create measurable value both in the facility and on the balance sheet. PW

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ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY

On the following pages is a compilation of robotic packaging technologies organized by category. Visit the pwgo.to link with each item for more information.

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COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS

Cobot for Harsh Environments

Dobot’s CRA-IP68 Series cobots are designed for high-dust, oil, and humidity environments such as machining, welding, and food prep. Equipped with advanced motion control algorithms, the robot ensures precise operation and stable performance even in harsh environments. An IP54-rated cabinet enhances durability, while drag-to-teach and code-based programming enable exible deployment with no specialized training.

Dobot Robotics pwgo.to/8745

COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS

Ultra-Compact Desktop Cobot

Pineberry’s MG400 is an ultra-compact desktop cobot for smallbatch packaging tasks. With a 750-g payload and 440-mm reach, it features drag-to-teach programming, collision detection, and a suction-cup gripper for pick-and-place. Its small footprint enables exible deployment in tight workspaces, making it suitable for automating repetitive handling of small boxes or other items in low-volume production.

Pineberry Manufacturing Inc. pwgo.to/8746

COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS

Sensitive Cobot Arm Technology

Kassow Robots’ Sensitive Arm technology integrates high-resolution torque sensors in all seven joints of its 7-axis cobots, enabling real-time force feedback for contact-sensitive tasks. With 0.024 Nm/ bit (Newton-meters/bit) resolution and 30-kHz control frequency, the system supports compliant motion for applications requiring delicate handling. Built-in tuning tools and intuitive hand-guiding simplify programming.

Kassow Robots pwgo.to/8761

COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS

Compact, AI-Ready Cobot

Universal Robots’ UR15 cobot features a 15-kg payload, a 5-m/ sec TCP (Tool Center Speed), and ±0.02-mm repeatability. It runs UR’s PolyScope X programming software, integrates with AI via NVIDIA Jetson computing modules, and includes OptiMove motion control for smooth, accurate trajectories. With IP65 protection, a compact design, and high-speed performance, the UR15 is built for demanding automation environments.

Universal Robots pwgo.to/8747

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PRODUCT TO PALLET PACKAGING SOLUTIONS

Cabinplant Extreme Multihead Weigher

FR 400 Twin Flow Wrapper

VTC 840 Vertical Bagger

TFS 600 3A Thermoformer

Trave 1000 Tray Sealer

Cigno Compact Tray Sealer

Trave Sinfonia Tray Sealer

Neural Vision Inspection for Skin Packs

ULMA Vision Inspection for Thermoformed Packages

Cabinplant Multihead Weigher

Feeding

TFS Thermoformer Case Former Collaborative Robot Palletizer

Hygienic Delta Robot

With IP69K protection and FDA-compliant materials, Autonox’s Delta Hygienic Design (HHD) robot is designed for food applications. Available in 3- or 4-axis models with payloads from 1 to 12 kg and working diameters of 800 to 1,600 mm, the robot withstands highpressure washdowns and offers optional motor encapsulation. Its open mechanics and high rigidity support integration across dairy, meat, poultry, and seafood lines.

Autonox Robotics pwgo.to/8748

20-kg-Payload SCARA Robots

The GX-C Series SCARA robots from Epson are designed for highspeed, high-precision applications, with reach options up to 1,000 mm and payloads to 20 kg. The robots operate with the RC800A controller, which includes SafeSense technology for safety-rated speed and position monitoring. Additional features include Gyroplus vibration reduction and Epson’s RC+ 8.0 software for system con guration and deployment.

Epson Robots pwgo.to/8750

Plug & Play SCARA Robots

B&R’s Codian SR series adds SCARA kinematics to its robot lineup, offering 4-axis articulated movement for high-speed pick-andplace, assembly, and loading tasks. Available as open mechanics or integrated with B&R’s Machine-Centric Robotics platform, SR models support payloads from 3 to 65 kg and offer cleanroom variants. The robots integrate with B&R’s mapp Robotics open platform software for seamless deployment and control.

B&R Industrial Automation pwgo.to/8749

Pick & Place Delta Robot

Igus’ DR1000 is a 4-axis delta robot with a 1,000-mm working diameter and 96-picks/min performance for pick-and-place and stacking tasks. Its additional rotary axis enables gripping and orientation in 3D space. Designed for modular integration, the DR1000 supports various grippers and suction tools. Control options include igus’ iRC software or individual axis control with its dryve D1 motor controllers.

Igus GmbH pwgo.to/8751

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

Lightweight SCARA Robots

Mitsubishi Electric’s MELFA RH-10CRH and RH-20CRH SCARA robots offer a reach of up to 1,000 mm and payloads to 20 kg. Designed for fast, compact automation, the robots feature battery-less motors, integrated wiring, and support for 2D/3D vision and force sensing. Up to 69% lighter than previous models, the RH-CRH series simpli es setup and supports CC-Link IE Field Basic for network integration.

Mitsubishi Electric Automation pwgo.to/8752

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Robotic Scoop Inserter

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

The Lynx robotic scoop inserter from BellatRx automates highspeed picking, orientation, and insertion of scoops into containers for powder-based products at speeds to 60/min. The vision-guided system supports tool-less changeovers for various scoop and container sizes. Designed for hygienic, washdown environments, the Lynx integrates with existing packaging lines and includes data logging and analytics for process monitoring. BellatRx pwgo.to/8754

Ceiling-Mounted SCARA Robots

Shibaura Machine’s THE series SCARA robots are now available in ceiling-mounted models, distributed by TM Robotics. Designed to save oor space, the lineup includes the THE400, THE600, THE800, and THE1000, with payloads to 20 kg and reaches to 1,000 mm. These high-speed robots integrate with the TS5000 controller and are suited for pick-and-place, inspection, and assembly in spaceconstrained lines.

TM Robotics pwgo.to/8753

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Vision-Guided Loading System

Bradman Lake’s VGR uses delta robots with vision guidance to pick randomly oriented products and load them into the infeed of a cartoner, ow wrapper, or bagger. Its modular, monobloc design supports a range of products, collations, and formats. Lightweight, lubrication-free robot arms and end effectors are optimized for speed and durability. The HMI interface allows for quick, accurate, and repeatable changeovers.

Bradman Lake pwgo.to/8755

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Pre-roll Tube Loading, Tray Packing

The JuanaPack from Canapa by Paxiom automates pre-roll tube loading and tray packing in a single platform. Designed for in-line or batch-style work ows, it lls and caps tubes with various lid types and loads trays using robotic pick-and-place. Compatible with upstream inspection and checkweighing, the system supports multipack formats, customizable tray patterns, and gentle handling for consistent retail presentation. Canapa by Paxiom pwgo.to/8762

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Robotic Product Loading System

Houdijk’s Cookiebot is a vision-guided robotic pick-and-place system that handles randomly oriented baked goods and offers tool-less changeover for different product types and packing formats. Con gurable with one, two, or four 3-axis overhead robots, it supports vacuum or mechanical grippers with one to two additional rotation axes. Developed with PFM Group, some models integrate PFM ow wrappers for end-to-end packaging.

Houdijk North America, Inc. pwgo.to/8756

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Cobot Bag Loader

The PAC Machinery Rollbag R785 with Robotics is an all-electric poly bagger integrated with a cobot for fully automated packaging. Developed in partnership with MSD Robotics, the system handles diverse product types without compressed air and adapts to variable part shapes. Designed for tabletop operation, the R785 enables exible, high-speed bagging in compact spaces, improving throughput and reducing manual handling.

PAC Machinery pwgo.to/8757

Food Pack Pick-and-Place

The PWR Smartline is a compact, modular robotic pick-and-place system for food packaging. Developed by PWR (Packaging With Robots), a Coesia partner, it supports one to four robots for case packing, ow-wrapper infeed, and tray loading. Vision-guided robots handle baked goods, pet food, and other products at high speeds. Its small footprint, fast deployment, and scalability make it suitable for SME and high-volume production lines.

Packaging With Robots pwgo.to/8758

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Blow-Molder Take-out System

Proco’s updated Robopik take-out system automates the unloading and de ashing of containers from shuttle-type blow molders using a cobot. The system supports exible con gurations, improved cycle times, and handling of various container shapes. Built-in safety features and connectivity options allow integration with smart factory systems. Robopik is designed to reduce downtime, labor input, and maintenance requirements.

Proco Machinery Inc. pwgo.to/8759

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PRIMARY PACKAGING

Beverage-Label Reel Loader

The CoboREEL from Sidel automates beverage-label reel loading with a cobot that holds up to 18 reels and manages different label types and designs autonomously. Eliminating manual reel changes, it minimizes errors, delays, and misplacements that can lead to downtime. The mobile unit is easy to operate, requires no maintenance, and can be deployed across multiple modules, improving exibility and reducing line interruptions.

Sidel pwgo.to/8760

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Robotic Flow-Wrapping System

Syntegon’s hygienic packaging system for fresh, chilled, and frozen foods combines the company’s RPP delta pick-and-place robots with the Pack 403 HE ow wrapper. The stainless-steel RPP units meet NEMA 4X standards and load products into the wrapper infeed. A second RPP cell loads wrapped items into cartons formed by the Kliklok ACE. The system supports washdown, size changeovers, and high food-safety requirements. Syntegon pwgo.to/8763

Cobot Carton Blank Loader

Cama’s ACL system automates carton blank magazine loading using a 3-axis cobot, smart cameras, and product-speci c grippers. The system identi es pallet orientation, stack layout, and interlayer sheets, enabling hands-free loading of blanks or closed boxes. Designed to integrate with Cama equipment, ACL supports visionbased picking, automatic size changes, and AMR handoffs in compact, collaborative workspaces.

Cama North America pwgo.to/8764

Maximizing Capability, Minimizing Space…

Headquartered in North Carolina, Chase-Logeman Corporation has been creating monoblock style filling and finishing equipment for over 60 years. To meet your exacting production needs, Chase-Logeman can integrate an entire production line for a turnkey process package.

Whether you are using bottles with plugs and caps, or vials with stoppers, filling microliters to 125ml, Chase-Logeman has decades of experience to integrate the complete filling line.

Contact us at:

Chase-Logeman Corporation

303 Friendship Drive

Greensboro, NC 27409

336.665.0754

info@chaselogeman.com

https://www.chaselogeman.com

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Scalable Robotic Case Packer

Cobot Magazine Loader

The EVO case packer from Delkor is a modular robotic system designed to pack formats from 4-in. shelf-ready packs to ¼-pallet trays at speeds to 280/min. Each 5-ft cell packs cases up to 30 lb and can scale by adding cells. Smart vision and changeover tech enable rapid format shifts, while optional corrugated warp correction improves reliability. The EVO integrates with Delkor’s Trayfecta X case formers for seamless operation.

Delkor pwgo.to/8765

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Douglas’ LoadX automates the loading of corrugated blanks into case and tray former magazines. Using a Doosan cobot with vision, force sensing, and radar-based safety, LoadX picks stacks of blanks and deposits them precisely into the magazine. It handles misaligned stacks, wraparound blanks, and interlayers without mechanical changeover. LoadX runs autonomously and supports line speeds to 20 cases/min.

Douglas Machine pwgo.to/8766

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Vertical RSC Case Packer

ESS Technologies’ V30 Series vertical robotic case packer uses a Fanuc M-20 robot to load bottles, cartons, jars, or bags into RSC cases. The compact system erects, loads, and seals cases using 2-in. tape or hot melt (optional). Running 10 to 12 cases/min, the V30 features fast changeover (<15 min), updated gearboxes, and optional serialization, labeling, or booklet feeders.

ESS Technologies, Inc., a Pacteon company pwgo.to/8767

Robotic Case Erector, Packer

GlobalTek’s 7-kg-payload Pack-It uses a 6-axis Fanuc robot and a custom end-effector for case erecting and product picking. The compact system supports RSC, HSC, and tray formats, with tool-less changeover and an operator-friendly interface for fast setup. It handles cases in a range of sizes at speeds to 6 cases/min. Ambidextrous case loading, a exible infeed, and optional vision or track-and-reject functions add versatility.

GlobalTek Equipment pwgo.to/8768

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Dual-Robot Case Erector, Packer

The ComboBot from Hamrick uses Fanuc M-10iD/16S and M-20iD/35 robot arms to erect and pack cases in compact spaces at speeds to 8 cases/min. It handles round or non-round rigid containers in single or multilayer formats and supports case widths as small as 4 in. Features include a 4-ft powered magazine, AllenBradley controls, and optional upgrades for inspection, orientation, and remote access.

Hamrick Packaging Systems pwgo.to/8769

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Robotic Cartoning System

The Peregrine IS from JLS is a fully automated robotic cartoning system that integrates carton forming, loading, and closing. Visionguided delta robots top-load randomly oriented products from ow wrappers, thermoformers, or vf/f/s machines. A patent-pending “perpendicular” carton ow provides ergonomic access to the forming station. The system includes JLS Trak for product transport and offers a compact, hygienic footprint.

JLS Automation pwgo.to/8771

Robotic Loading Module

iXapack Global’s ILI loading module uses a tripod robot with optional 5th-axis articulation to load products into preformed cases, trays, or buckets. The system supports RSC, wraparound, shelf-ready, and stackable cases, and can also load products onto infeed conveyors of other machines. Product grippers are adjustable, while an IP69K option allows for washdown. A 19-in. touchscreen HMI enables fast setup and parameter control.

iXapack Global pwgo.to/8770

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Delta Robot Case Packer

The Propack PROFLEX case-packing machine uses a high-speed delta robot powered by three servo motors to handle rapid packing with consistent accuracy. It is designed to manage products of varying shapes, sizes, and sensitivities in industries including food, beverage, pharma, and more, while maintaining secure placement. The system supports quick format changeovers and integrates with automated packaging lines.

Propack Processing and Packaging pwgo.to/8772

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: CASE PACKING/CARTONING

Cobot Case Erector, Palletizer

Schneider Packaging’s collaborative case erector-palletizer combines case erecting, taping, and palletizing in a compact, operator-friendly system. Using a Fanuc CRX-25iA robot and a dualfunction EOAT from Anubis 3D, the system forms and handles cases without a separate forming xture. Tool-less changeover takes under ve minutes, and zero-programming setup is achieved by entering case dimensions.

Schneider Packaging, a Pacteon company pwgo.to/8773

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

Top-Load Case Packer

The Schubert lightline case packer is a pre-con gured top-loading machine designed for case packing standardized products such as bottles, cans, or boxes into RSC or wraparound cases. It uses a pickand-place robot with Schubert’s VMS control system to manage loading operations. With a compact frame and xed format range, the machine is intended for applications requiring short lead times and minimal customization.

Schubert North America pwgo.to/8774

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

Washdown Cobot Palletizer

AAA20 Group’s CP-66-WD is an IP69K-rated stainless-steel washdown cobot palletizer designed for sanitation-critical environments. With sloped surfaces and no hollow tubing, it supports aggressive cleaning protocols without compromising throughput. The compact, collaborative system stacks boxes up to 66 lb and 80 in. high, requires no safety cage, and is available via month-to-month lease with no long-term commitment.

AAA20 Group pwgo.to/8855

High-Speed, Modular Palletizer

The RL1000 robotic palletizer from Brenton is a modular sortation and layer-forming system capable of up to 6 layers/min. It supports RSC, wraparound, display, and lithographic cases, as well as trays and wrapped products. The RL1000 offers eight standard layout con gurations with one or two sortation robots, options for sheet and dunnage handling, and a 600-lb payload capacity with full bottom-layer support.

Brenton, a ProMach brand pwgo.to/8775

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

Off-the-Shelf Palletizer

Powered by OnRobot’s D:PLOY no-code automation software, Doig’s Pallet EZ is an off-the-shelf robotic palletizing solution. Designed for same-day deployment, the system requires no coding or integration and can be installed and recon gured in hours. Pallet EZ allows users to adjust layouts and handle new SKUs with minimal training, making it suitable for small to mid-sized manufacturers struggling with labor shortages.

Doig Corp. pwgo.to/8776

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

Compact Cobot Palletizer

FlexLink’s RC12 is a third-generation collaborative palletizer with a compact footprint and no programming required. It handles up to 14 cases/min with a double-pick gripper and meets ISO/TS 15066 safety standards for barrier-free operation. The system includes Robot Con g software for fast pallet pattern setup via HMI and is designed for easy relocation, layout exibility, and safe human interaction.

FlexLink, a Coesia company pwgo.to/8777

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

Valve Bag Depalletizer

Haver & Boecker’s Amicus Depal is a camera-guided Fanuc robot-equipped depalletizer for unstrapped valve bag bundles. It features a roller gripper end-of-arm tool and handles bag sizes from 220 x 300 mm to 500 x 660 mm and bundle thicknesses up to 50 mm. With a capacity of up to 6,000 bags/hr, the system offers an expandable design that supports multiple lines and conveyor integration for increased automation.

Haver & Boecker pwgo.to/8778

Stainless-Steel Cobot Palletizer

ONExia’s fully stainless-steel cobot palletizer is designed for sanitary food and beverage environments with routine washdown requirements. Delivered as a turnkey system—including conveyors, grippers, and preloaded pallet programs—it features a compact footprint, tool-free interface, and ONExia’s proprietary software. Built to meet FDA and USDA standards, the system requires no guarding and is ANSI/RIA safety certi ed.

ONExia Inc. pwgo.to/8779

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: PALLETIZING

Plug-and-Play Cobot Palletizer

The Toma PAL-0830 from Premier Tech is a plug-and-play cobot palletizer built on a stainless-steel base with a variety of quickconnect vacuum grippers, a Fanuc CRX-30iA cobot arm, and Toma infeed conveyors. Powered by Premier Tech’s proprietary Movn software and Necton connectivity technology, it supports payloads to 66 lb and runs at 8 cycles/min. No coding is required, and the system installs quickly into existing lines.

Premier Tech pwgo.to/8780

E-COMMERCE

E-COMMERCE

Climbing Robot System

Hai Robotics’ HaiPick Climb is a compact, retro t-ready goodsto-person ASRS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System) that automates tote handling in packaging and ful llment operations. Using climbing robots on standard racking, it delivers totes to ergonomic workstations at speeds to 4,000 totes/hr. The system minimizes infrastructure needs, boosts storage density, and reduces labor, making it suitable for scaling same-day order ful llment.

Hai Robotics pwgo.to/8781

ROBOTS FOR PHARMA

Mixed-SKU Palletizing System

NuMove’s NuBotik MixPal is a robotic palletizing system designed to build multi-SKU pallets at rates to 800 items/hr using a single robot. The system incorporates load planning software to optimize pallet stability and throughput. It features a compact footprint, a modular design for scalability, and a user interface that allows operators to input product types and quantities for automated pallet generation.

NuMove Robotics & Vision pwgo.to/8782

Robotic Blister Feeder

Pharmaworks’ FR1 robotic feeder is a pick-and-place system for blister packaging of autoinjectors, nasal sprays, and syringes, as well as consumer goods. Products are hopper-loaded and gravityfed to a servo-controlled belt for precise indexing. The SCARA robot, a Fanuc SR-3iA, then places items directly into the blister machine. The FR1 is compatible with multiple machine brands and is integrated with a single touchscreen.

Pharmaworks, a ProMach product brand pwgo.to/8783

Witness the future of packaging in motion

One automation ecosystem. Infinite possibilities.

What if your packaging line could float, adapt, and think? This isn’t just motion control, it’s a revolution in machine design.

XPlanar: A fleet of maglev movers in multiple sizes float and fly with total freedom and enable hygienic, contact-free product handling in any direction at up to 3 meters per second. XTS with NCT: Independently controlled, wireless movers can synchronize with XPlanar and operate powered end effectors like grippers, sensors, and pneumatics much like a robot.

Together, XPlanar and XTS create a choreography of intelligent product transport, ideal for: adaptive format handling multi-product packaging inline inspection and rejection real-time process feedback total elimination of mechanical handoffs

This is the revolution in packaging machinery: Modular. Scalable. Software-defined. Only from Beckhoff.

See XTS and XPlanar live! Booth SL-15047

Robotic Vial Filling, Capping

Steriline’s RVFCM11-S is a robotic vial lling and capping machine for cell and gene therapies. It handles up to 15 nested vials, syringes, or cartridges per minute using two Stäubli Stericlean 6-axis robots with no glass-to-glass contact. Features include peristaltic aseptic lling, checkweighing, vision-inspected capping, and a double-wall isolator. Time tracking supports cold chain compliance.

Steriline pwgo.to/8784

Cobot Vacuum Gripper

The FCR vacuum gripping system from Gimatic is a lightweight (under 750 g), plug-and-play EOAT designed for cobot applications in packaging. Engineered for handling cartons, lms, boxes, bags, and blisters, the FCR system supports rapid format changes and integration exibility. Its compact form and intuitive setup enable fast deployment in high-mix, high-speed environments that require reliable, adaptable gripping.

Gimatic pwgo.to/8786

Ethernet for Robotic Tool Changer

ATI’s GBX 10-GB Ethernet Module enables high-speed data transfer through robotic tool changers for applications requiring fast, reliable communication. Designed for use with Cat6/Cat6a cables, it features plug-and-play M12 X-code connectors and ±90-deg cable exit options, and supports up to 1 million mating cycles. The module is compatible with ATI’s standard and heavy-duty tool changers and utility couplers.

ATI Industrial Automation (ATI) pwgo.to/8785

Palletizing Vacuum Gripper

OnRobot’s VGP30 vacuum gripper handles payloads to 30 kg and is compatible with all major robot brands. Designed for palletizing and handling porous or irregular materials, it features dualchannel operation for exibility and intelligent vacuum control to reduce energy use. The gripper ships fully assembled with software and integrates with OnRobot’s D:PLOY platform for rapid deployment.

OnRobot pwgo.to/8787

ROBOTS FOR PHARMA

Cobot Gripper Software

URCap for PolyScope X enables seamless integration of Piab’s grippers with Universal Robots’ updated software platform. Designed for a wide range of Piab’s products, the URCap simpli es setup with live testing, smart skills, and real-time pump feedback. The interface supports vacuum activation, con guration veri cation, and task optimization, improving setup time, usability, and precision in collaborative applications. Piab pwgo.to/8788

CONTROLLERS/SOFTWARE

ABB App-Based Training Tool

ABB’s RoboMasters app offers modular, self-paced robot training with interactive lessons, simulations, and challenges. Designed for all skill levels, the app enables users to build custom learning paths, earn certi cations, and stay current with ABB robot programming. Available in 50-plus languages, it supplements inperson training and supports ongoing workforce development with gami ed learning tools.

ABB Robotics pwgo.to/8790

beRobox pwgo.to/8791 END-OF-ARM

Multi-Pick Vacuum Gripper

The PowerPick Multi is a vacuum gripper with a multi-cup array and dual-zone picking designed by Robotiq for palletizing variable box sizes without manual changeovers. Compatible with Robotiq’s palletizing solution and Universal Robots’ URCap software, it enables fast recipe adjustments and multi-pick con gurations. The gripper supports exible production needs, reducing downtime and setup complexity across high-mix packaging lines.

Robotiq pwgo.to/8789

CONTROLLERS/SOFTWARE

beRobox Palletizing Software

beRobox’s STACKiT 2.0 palletizing software includes stack validation that identi es potential collisions and reach issues during con guration. The updated interface features 3D pallet views, progress indicators, and an integrated recovery mode. The software also calculates optimized vertical axis motion for increased pallet height ef ciency. STACKiT 2.0 is standard on new beRobox systems and is available as an upgrade.

CONTROLLERS/SOFTWARE

CONTROLLERS/SOFTWARE

3D Robot Simulation Software

Flexiv Robot Control System

Fanuc’s RoboGuide V10 simulation software now runs on a 64bit architecture for faster of ine programming and 3D workcell simulation. New features include immersive VR walkthroughs, a modern ribbon-style user interface, drag-and-drop robot placement, oating windows, and enhanced graphics. Expanded native CAD support improves layout validation, while real-time simulation helps speed integration and reduce commissioning time.

Fanuc America pwgo.to/8792

CONTROLLERS/SOFTWARE

Flexiv’s Elements Series 3 is an adaptive robot control system featuring an improved user interface, drag-and-drop programming, and 3D simulation to simplify setup and reduce deployment time. It supports multiple external axes for seven-plus DOF (degrees of freedom) and includes a redesigned Motion Bar for hands-on operation. Elements Studio is compatible with all Flexiv robots and allows virtual testing before deployment.

Flexiv pwgo.to/8793

CONTROLLERS/SOFTWARE

Event Monitoring System

Iris’ OmniView event monitoring system captures and stores video footage 40 seconds before a system fault, helping teams identify the root causes of downtime. Con gurable with up to 10 highresolution IP65-rated cameras, OmniView monitors key cell areas like pick points, pallet build stations, and HMIs. Footage is saved to an on-board industrial PC, enabling post-event review without disrupting production.

Iris Factory Automation pwgo.to/8794

Diagnostics App

Olis Robotics’ Android-based diagnostics app enables remote monitoring, video capture, and error recovery for automation systems without added hardware. The tool synchronizes live video with PLC and telemetry data, supports screen sharing, and can be con gured in under ve minutes. It provides fault visibility, reduces travel requirements, and supports retro t use in legacy and existing systems. The app is priced at $499.

Olis Robotics pwgo.to/8795

AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRs)

Scalable AMR Family

Comau’s new MyMR family of AMRs addresses key challenges such as labor shortages, material handling inef ciencies, and safety concerns with a modular, scalable, and fully autonomous solution. The MyMR line includes 300-, 500-, and 1,500-kg models and uses an advanced navigation system that allows it to dynamically adapt to layout changes. The robots can be easily converted from an AMR to an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle).

Comau LLC-USA pwgo.to/8796

AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRs)

AMR Top Rollers

ROEQ’s TR600, TR1150, and TR1000 Auto top rollers for Mobile Industrial Robots’ AMRs automate load transfer to and from static conveyors. The TR600 and TR1150 support up to 600 and 1,125 kg, respectively, and transport cargo up to 2.4 m with the Long Cargo Kit. The TR1000 Auto handles conveyors at varying heights. All models support dual-package delivery, GuardCom wireless sync, and simpli ed setup via ROEQ Assist.

ROEQ pwgo.to/8798

AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRs)

Mobile Cobot

The MC600 mobile cobot from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) combines the company’s MiR600 mobile robot base with Universal Robots’ UR20/UR30 cobot arms for handling heavier items and automating tasks such as palletizing, case handling, and machine tending. Controlled by a uni ed software platform from Enabled Robotics, the system seamlessly coordinates the robot base and arms, simplifying integration into existing work ows.

Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) pwgo.to/8797

AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRs)

Robotic Case-Picking Solution

Vecna Robotics’ CaseFlow is a robotic case-picking solution that automates pallet transport and directs human pickers through dynamic zone assignments. The system integrates with existing WMS platforms and uses Pivotal software to manage task orchestration and route optimization. Designed to increase units picked per hour and reduce travel-related incidents, CaseFlow is available by subscription and installs in under four weeks.

Vecna Robotics pwgo.to/8799

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025 Quick Facts

Looking to discover what’s new in packaging and processing?

This at-a-glance guide gives you the essential details of what’s happening at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025, the ultimate packaging and processing event this year.

SHOW HOURS

9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. MONDAY, TUESDAY 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY

MUST-SEE PAVILIONS

PACK EXPO Las Vegas is a massive showcase of cutting-edge technology and solutions. Targeted industry pavilions help attendees easily zero in on the innovations that matter most. For more pavilion information and to find exhibitors within every pavilion at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, visit pwgo.to/8803

The Containers and Materials Pavilion

Get hands-on with groundbreaking innovations in paperboard, glass, metal, flexible, and resealable solutions designed to captivate consumers and boost sustainability. This pavilion is a one-stop-shop for attendees looking for new packaging to refresh, enhance, or differentiate their brand, add functionality, or improve sustainability. Find it in the South Lower Hall

The Healthcare Packaging Pavilion

Explore state-of-the-art packaging innovations for pharmaceuticals, biologics, nutraceuticals, and medical devices. Precision, safety, and innovation converge at this top destination for life sciences companies. Located in the North Hall.

PLAN AHEAD WITH THE PACK EXPO LAS VEGAS MOBILE APP

Navigate the show like a pro with the free PACK EXPO Las Vegas

Mobile App, sponsored by ProMach, Inc.

The Logistics Pavilion

Dive into the latest in warehousing, fulfillment, distribution, logistics, and transportation services — everything needed to move products faster, smarter, and more efficiently. With the current boom in e-commerce, the Logistics Pavilion will be the place to meet the moment. Find it in the North Hall

The Processing Zone

Discover the latest food and beverage processing innovations, see the latest equipment in action, and explore advancements shaping the industry’s future at the Processing Zone. Find front-of-the-line solutions including homogenizing, heat treating, forming and sizing, and coating. Discover solutions to help increase efficiency, achieve total system integration, and ensure employee safety. Visit the Processing Zone in the North Hall

The Confectionery Pavilion

Head to the Confectionery Pavilion, sponsored by the National Confectioners Association, to see the latest confectionery technology in action, from high-tech aeration and batch refining to innovative shaping and cluster production. Explore the sweet science behind the latest candy-making trends. Located in the South Upper Hall.

• Search exhibitors, products and educational sessions

• Access your My Show Planner

• Navigate from booth-to-booth

• Locate concessions and view transportation options

• Join the Scavenger Hunt

• Vote in the 2025 Technology Excellence Awards

Take time to network, recharge, and gain valuable insights at the Candy Bar Lounge, hosted by the National Confectioners Association and sponsored by Syntegon. Find it within the Confectionery Pavilion at booth SU-26000.

The Reusable Packaging Pavilion

Sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association, discover reusable packaging solutions that reduce waste, drive down costs, and supercharge supply chain efficiency, all while supporting the planet. Located in the South Upper Hall

The Association Partner Pavilion

This pavilion houses associations from the PACK EXPO Partner Program, which connects attendees to leading associations from all segments of packaging and processing. Find them in the West Hall. For a full list of participating associations, visit pwgo.to/8804

The Education and Workforce Development Pavilion

Explore PMMI U’s array of offerings, including sought-after training workshops. Colleges and universities from across the country will showcase their mechatronics and packaging and processing programs, while companies will have the opportunity to engage with students interested in pursuing careers in the industry. Located in the North Hall Lobby.

PMMI U Workforce Development

PMMI U is offering its popular training workshops in Las Vegas to coincide with PACK EXPO Las Vegas.

Risk Assessment Workshop: September 27-28, 2025.

Learn more at pwgo.to/8805

Certified Trainer Workshop: September 29-30, 2025.

Learn more at pwgo.to/8806

Field Service Essentials: September 29-30, 2025.

Learn more at pwgo.to/8807.

Educational Opportunities Abound

Beyond the exhibits, PACK EXPO Las Vegas offers more than 100 free educational sessions right on the show floor. These sessions deliver expert insights on a wide range of topics, from automation, AI, and sustainability to navigating tariffs, reusable packaging, food safety, and more. Multiple stages throughout the show floor serve specific learning interests, including the Innovation Stages, Processing Innovation Stage, Sustainability Central, Industry Speaks, and the Reusable Packaging Learning Center. Whether you’re looking to explore emerging technologies or gain practical strategies for your operation, there’s something for everyone. Flip to p. 160 to scan QR codes and access the most up-to-date session listings for each stage.

Attendee Resource Center

The Attendee Resource Center is an online gateway with information and resources to help you maximize your time and get more ROI from attending the show. Use it to access the My Show Planner tool to mark your “must-see” interests and schedule meetings in advance, learn about the PACK Match 1:1 free consultation service, download the Attendee ROI Guide, use the justification letter template, and much more. Find it at pwgo.to/8826.

Technology Excellence Award Finalists: Your Vote Counts!

The Technology Excellence Awards are back at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025, and it’s up to you to vote for the winner. The awards recognize exhibitor’s brand-new innovations never-before displayed at a PACK EXPO trade show. All registered attendees are eligible to vote for favorites among the finalists across four categories: Food & Beverage, General Packaging & Processing, Personal Care & Pharma, and Sustainability.

Voting will begin on September 22 and continue onsite until Tuesday, September 30 at noon. There are three ways to vote: onsite, on the official show mobile app, and online. The winner of each category will be announced via a press release Tuesday afternoon. While you’re at the show, be sure to check out the finalists and winners at their booths! For a complete description of the finalists’ technologies, visit the Technology Excellence Awards page at pwgo.to/8808

Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network Breakfast

The Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) fosters growth, knowledge sharing, and networking opportunities for women in packaging and processing. Each year at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, PPWLN hosts a networking breakfast to share experiences, build meaningful connections, and hear from influential voices in leadership and workforce development.

This year’s featured speaker, Alison Fragale, an organizational psychologist and professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, is a nationally recognized negotiation, communication, and workplace dynamics expert. Her keynote at the PPWLN Breakfast will offer attendees new perspectives and tools to grow personally and professionally.

The PPWLN Breakfast is open to all PACK EXPO Las Vegas attendees, regardless of gender, and is designed to welcome everyone who supports the development of a diverse and inclusive industry.

The Networking Breakfast takes place September 30, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., in Room N-247 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Register to attend at pwgo.to/8818. Admission is free but an RSVP is recommended, as space is limited, and interest remains high.

The PPWLN breakfast is proudly sponsored by PPWLN Gold Sponsors: ProMach, Inc. and Morrison Container Handling Solutions; PPWLN Breakfast Sponsors: BW Packaging, Emerson Discrete Automation Group, Plexpack Corp., Septimatech Group Inc., SMC Corporation of America, and Smurfit Westrock PW

No contact means no friction, no contaminationand no drag or wear. EPC’s non-contact laser encoder is built for long-life performance, even in tough-toaccess spots, with flexible mounting options that adapt to your setup.

Get real-time feedback, digital changeover, and plug-and-play simplicity with EPC’s Absolute Encoders featuring IO-Link— engineered to maximize uptime and built for Industry 4.0 smart machines and fast production.

TAP INTO EXPERT INSIGHTS

Scan these QR codes to view the educational sessions taking place during the show.

Innovation Stage

Catch free, 30-minute seminars on breakthrough technologies and best practices, presented across three stages each day by suppliers and subject matter experts. Session topics include cobots, automation, AI, navigating tariffs, thermal inkjet (TIJ) technology, and more.

Processing Innovation Stage

This stage focuses on advancements in processing technologies, offering insights into improving efficiency and product quality. Session topics include food safety, sustainability, food processing, AI, clean-label products, and more. These sessions are targeted to food and beverage manufacturers.

Industry Speaks

Experts from the PACK EXPO Partner Program, covering multiple industry verticals, will address the latest hot topics and industry trends such as sustainability, remote access, supply chain solutions, augmented reality, and operational efficiency.

Sustainability Central

Presented by Packaging World and sponsored by Dow, this is your first stop to stay on top of what is arguably the biggest, most multifaceted challenge in the packaging industry today. Expert-led sessions will help you navigate the complexities of sustainability and what it means for your brand. Session topics will include sustainable packaging solutions, Extended Producer Responsibility and other legislation, circularity, and much more.

Reusable Packaging Learning Center

Sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association, hear from experts on strategies to implement a reusable packaging system that can improve material-handling performance, reduce operating costs, create new economic values, and lower the environmental impacts of a brand’s supply chain.

Inside Sunrise 2027: Packaging’s Role in the Digital Shelf Revolution

From serialized 2D barcodes to data-rich packaging and traceability tech, GS1 Connect 2025 showcased how CPGs, retailers, and suppliers are aligning to turn packaging into a gateway for trust, transparency, and transformation.

By Matt Reynolds, Chief Editor

At GS1 Connect 2025, held in June in Nashville, it became clear that the next era of product packaging will be defined not just by materials or graphics, but by data, digitization, and interoperability. Across eight editorial features and a focused sidebar, Packaging World dives deep into how brands, retailers, and solution providers are preparing for Sunrise 2027—the industry-wide initiative marking the shift from traditional UPCs to 2D barcodes on consumer goods packaging.

But this transformation isn’t limited to retail checkout. Packaging is being reimagined as a data carrier for traceability as seen with FSMA 204, a defense mechanism against counterfeiting in Amazon’s Transparency program, and a storytelling platform that connects consumers to brand narratives in real time. Whether through dynamic QR codes, RFID tags, or AI-enabled validation systems, brands are unlocking operational agility and consumer trust—all through packaging.

From Coca-Cola’s cautious but confident rollout of 2D barcodes to Wakefern’s case study on turning off-pack data into wellness transparency, this special section highlights voices across the packaging and supply chain ecosystem. Their common message? Packaging isn’t just the delivery mechanism—it’s the interface.

This appears to be the future of packaging—smarter, more connected, and built on standards that work for everyone. PW

Seamlessly

RFID-Tagged Corrugated Gains Momentum in Recycling, EPR Compliance

In a future where packaging is as smart as the products it protects, RFID is quietly reshaping how supply chains operate—and how brands approach their sustainability obligations. At GS1 Connect 2025, John Dwyer of Smurfit Westrock and Curt Schacker of Track Vision AI laid out the case for embedding RFID tags on corrugated cases. Their goal with the test was to bridge the gap between traceability and end-of-life recycling, and unlock a clearer path to compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.

an institution that has become sort of a de facto standards body for recycling packaging, confirmed that corrugated substrates tagged with RFID remained viable in downstream fiber recovery.

Schacker expanded on how these trials work. In a case study conducted over five quarters, Track Vision AI traced 1.3 million corrugated packages from distribution to post-consumer recovery. RFID tags embedded in secondary packaging were encoded with GTINs, which allowed the brand owner to track product identity and category at end-

Smurfit Westrock is already one of the largest recyclers in the U.S., operating 32 material recovery facilities (MRFs) nationwide. Dwyer described how their RFID-enabled trials at MRFs are achieving a 97% read rate—even in the chaotic, wet, and dirty conditions of a real-world recycling environment. That high level of visibility opens the door for new attribution models that allow brand owners to track, and prove, how their packaging flows through the recycling stream.

One common concern among packaging engineers and sustainability leads is whether RFID interferes with recyclability. Dwyer addressed this head-on. While the RFID chip itself isn’t recyclable, it does not impair the recyclability or repulpability of the corrugated board to which it’s affixed. Tests conducted with Western Michigan University,

of-life. That product-level visibility enables attribution for EPR compliance and provides insights into consumer behavior—like a holiday spike in returned TVs—that go far beyond conventional recycling data.

But RFID isn’t just a compliance tool—it’s a value engine. “If you extract value from RFID, it’s free,” said Dwyer. He emphasized that the ROI models are clear and often fast. “I’ve never seen an RFID ROI calculation that was legitimate and went past 12 months,” he added. When used effectively, RFID reduces labor costs, improves inventory accuracy, cuts shrink, and enables more efficient replenishment. The fact that it also helps brands meet recycling obligations is a bonus—not a burden.

Interoperability is key. Schacker pointed to EPCIS 2.0, a ratified industry standard, as the framework that enables meaningful data

exchange across systems and trading partners. “What underlies supply chain transparency is interoperability,” he said. “And the only way the world has ever accomplished this at scale is through standards.” EPCIS 2.0 not only defines data formats for events like shipping, receiving, and transformation, but also enables integration with APIs for broader traceability use cases.

Whether a CPG is dealing with paperboard cartons, cereal cartons, beverage multipacks, or corrugated, affixing RFID isn’t just experimental—it’s executable. And with EPR legislation accelerating across U.S. states and globally, more are experimenting with pilot programs.

Even better, these tags can do double duty. Dwyer noted that the same tags used for tracking can support consumer-facing functions, including dynamic QR code overlays for transparency, brand engagement, and even recall alerts. “The QR code printed on pack is static, but the URL it links to can change dynamically based on context,” he said.

The pilot conducted in Louisville is already being expanded to Smurfit Westrock’s Marietta, Ga. facility. According to Dwyer, the scalability is real: “The installation costs are low—under $50,000 per location.” With the right infrastructure and data practices in place (including encoding the GTIN properly on tags), packaging becomes both a data platform and a circularity enabler.

The implication for brand owners is this: RFID tags on corrugated cases don’t just enhance supply chain intelligence—they help futureproof your sustainability strategy.

For those unsure where to start, Dwyer’s advised to “think about your objectives, whether it’s closed-loop recycling, EPR compliance, or packaging attribution. Then build backward with standards, partners, and technology.”

The data is already moving through most brands’ supply chains, but can they capture its full value? —Matt Reynolds

JUST LIKE PLASTIC. IS NOT.

BIODOLOMER IS A LIMESTONE BASED MATERIAL THAT CAN DO MOST THINGS THAT FOSSIL PLASTIC DOES.

But it is fully compostable (certified by TÜV and BPI), and when decomposed, it will actually leave extra calcium from the limestone in the soil. And it is without a number of things you rarely want close to your brand: Gaia BioMaterials AB,

No Microplastics

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No Bisphenol-A

Biodolomer can be used for thermoforming, film blowing, extrusion coating, injection molding... you name it. It does all the good stuff that plastic does. But not the bad.

It uses less energy in production and results in up to 80 % less CO2 than traditional plastic. You can even put it in your home compost and watch it disappear.

Biodolomer might just be the easiest way to make your brand more sustainable. For real.

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Wegmans on Board with 2D Barcodes; Kenvue Will be Ready

As the countdown to Sunrise 2027 accelerates, brand owners and CPGs face mounting pressure to adapt packaging for the dual-barcode era—where 2D codes will appear on-pack alongside traditional 1D UPCs. For packaging professionals, the shift isn’t just a regulatory hurdle; it’s a strategic opportunity to deliver richer data, support transparency, and streamline supply chains. But getting there requires tight coordination across packaging, IT, compliance, and brand teams, all with a clear understanding of what retailers need.

At the recent GS1 Connect panel “From Production to POS: 2D Barcodes for Brand Success,” brands and retailers demonstrated that they’ve been underway on this project for some time. Paul Wawrzyniak, enterprise systems manager at Wegmans Food Markets, and Prakash Christopher, director of digital identification and traceability at Kenvue Brands, are two prominent examples. Their perspectives, grounded in retail readiness and brand execution, respectively, offer a blueprint for how CPGs should be thinking about packaging today.

Why? Because it’s coming, driven by retailers. While Wegmans hasn’t yet mandated 2D barcodes from its suppliers, the grocery retailer is laying the groundwork. When asked: “Has Wegmans set a compliance date for having 2D barcodes for its [brand owner] suppliers?”

He answered: “We have not formally notified our suppliers on that. We are discussing and talking about a letter to go out, and the wording of that. It’s two things: [First]... confirming knowledge that this is coming. Part of our challenge is communicating and explaining the value statements of this, and why manufacturer suppliers will want to embrace this and add it to their products. [Second]... there are hundreds of application identifiers [also called AIs]. And we encourage all [brands] go through that list. Don’t just look for the few that you think you’re going to use. Review them all and then challenge yourself by asking, ‘why is that even an identifier that’s available?’ As we go through the product line, whether you’re manufacturing it, if it’s CPG items in the center store, or dry goods, there may be a different set of AIs that are applicable, but they’re all value added. As a retailer, we want to hear back on which are the ones you’re selecting, and we want to share the ones that we believe are high value to us.”

Collaboration between brand and retailer in deciding which identifiers to use is key. Most 2D barcodes can only occupy so much label space, and their resolution can be only so dense

What CPGs Should Do Now

1

2

3

4

5

Start internal pilots. Whether it’s a single SKU or an entire brand, start printing and testing 2D codes on real packaging.

Review GS1 application identifiers (AIs). Don’t just default to the obvious ones—explore which AIs add supply chain or consumer value.

Collaborate with retail partners, especially around shared AIs and code placement strategies.

Build SOPs for artwork. Packaging design must be coordinated from marketing to the print floor, ensuring scannability and compliance.

Prepare for the long tail. From firmware upgrades to scanner calibration, don’t underestimate the systems-level work involved.

Pack with precision.

before losing scanability. Given these constraints, brands and their retail partners have to prioritize together which suite of identifiers is optimal, delivering the highest values for all parties.

“Again, there are hundreds of [identifiers],” Wawrzyniak explained. “What we want is collaboration. We want to hear back from suppliers on which ones they’re selecting—and we’ll share the ones we believe are high value. Because of the density constraint, we won’t put 100 identifiers into a QR code. But even three to five, if well-chosen, can deliver huge value.”

That finite space on-pack is especially important for packaging engineers to consider—as more data is packed into 2D codes, with the density constraint, they grow in size. This may disrupt established brand aesthetics and layouts. “It comes back to packaging, the marketing, and the aesthetics,” he said. “Please [place] it very close to the 1D. In the future, someday you’ll be able to drop [the 1D code].”

Inside Kenvue Brands

Kenvue, the consumer health company behind brands like BandAid and Tylenol, is already deploying 2D barcodes, and doing so at scale. According to Kenvue’s Prakash Christopher, the company is actively printing 2D codes on 200 to 300 SKUs, and the implications for packaging design have been significant.

Kenvue Brands include Neutrogena, whose reusable package design shown here won IoPP honors earlier this year. The brand owner is applying experiences it had on the pharmaceutical side of the business to readiness for Sunrise 2027.

“Your story might not be ready when you launch the product. But through the 2D code, you can continuously add digital content without changing the artwork. That’s a pretty big value for us,” he said.

“If I make the 2D code even a little smaller in size, the scanners will not be able to scan it,” he noted. “We built SOPs and work instructions to ensure the integrity is designed in. That goes from our brand portal all the way to the printers.”

FALLAS

Kenvue is starting with GS1 Digital Link barcodes that carry the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), but Christopher said the company’s healthcare processes already include additional elements like serial numbers and expiration dates—and that sophistication is gradually making its way into consumer-facing packs, too.

The company also sees dynamic QR codes that connect to a website as storytelling tools.

Packaging constraints and the 50-mm rule

Both Christopher and Wawrzyniak emphasized the importance of code placement. Scanners, particularly at POS, must be able to prioritize the 2D code—and that only happens if it’s physically close to the 1D, like 50 mm or closer.

“It takes less than milliseconds for a scanner to pick up the code,” Wawrzyniak said. “If they’re far apart, your cashiers won’t catch the 2D. We want it to be the primary.” He once again added: “Be sensitive to the 50-mm rule—closer is better.”

Christopher also noted that limited real estate on-pack has prompted tough decisions. One of the biggest challenges right now is accommodating both 1D and 2D barcodes on the same package—at least during the transition. “We have to have a combination of barcodes… so finding space on certain products, just to make sure the size is not too small or becomes unscannable downstream,” has been difficult. Internally, there’s been a lot of “back and forth with what we need to do with the physical product. Can we remove some marketing content? Can we just use the 2D barcode to link to regulatory content?” But brands can’t remove the regulatory content from the package itself, so something’s got to give.

A word from GS1

Steven Keedie of GS1 Global Office, who helped lead the panel, reminded attendees that the industry doesn’t have decades to refine this transition like it did with 1D barcodes.

“With the UPC, we had 30 years to get it straight. Now we’re living in a dual-barcode world,” he said. “The 2D barcode is going to be multi-purpose—not just for the consumer, but for POS, for regulators, and for the supply chain. And that requires collaboration, standardization, and testing.”

He also clarified a common misconception: UPCs will still work at the scanner for the foreseeable future. But brands may choose not to use them of the 2D does the job.

“We’re not sunsetting the UPC,” Keedie said. “But once we reach 90% readiness at retail, brands can start reclaiming their real estate by using a single 2D.”

Solution providers power the transition

While retailers and brand owners are driving the demand for 2D barcode implementation, solution providers like Datalogic and Scanbuy are playing a role in making it technically feasible and scalable.

“Datalogic has been reading 2D codes for over 20 years,” said Scott Jackson, product manager at Datalogic. “But for Sunrise 2027, we’ve updated our entire scanner portfolio to be GS1 Digital Link–compliant. Whether you’re using handhelds in a warehouse, bioptic scanners at checkout, or mobile computing in-store, all of our equipment can be configured to prioritize 2D codes and deliver the speed and accuracy retailers demand.”

He also pointed out the importance of firmware flexibility, especially during the transition phase. “Not every retailer or supplier is ready to process full 2D data. That’s why we offer configuration modes that allow you to extract just the GTIN initially, and then scale up to full digital link data when you’re ready.”

Maryann Moschides, managing director at Scanbuy, underscored how 2D barcodes unlock new storytelling and compliance opportunities for brands. “The QR code becomes a product advocate,” she said. “You can’t be in the aisle with every shopper, but your QR code can speak for you—sharing nutritional facts, sustainability claims, ingredient sourcing, and more.”

From Scanbuy’s perspective, success depends not just on technology but on strict adherence to global standards.

“This only works if every player in the supply chain embeds the right digital syntax and AIs consistently,” Moschides said. “You can’t have a QR code mean one thing in a drugstore and another in a grocery store. Standards are the glue that holds this together.” —Matt Reynolds

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Walmart, Brands Leverage Variable Label Data for FSMA 204

When the world’s largest retailer puts traceability at the center of its food safety strategy, the entire industry pays attention. With Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rule 204 looming, even after a recently announced 30-month delay, from January 2026 to July 2028, Walmart has made it clear that it’s “all in” on transparency and traceability. That means its suppliers have to be, too. For brand owners and CPGs, this transformation isn’t just a data exercise. Beyond data management and standardization, it’s also a packaging challenge, a systems rethink, and a supply chain culture shift.

At a panel led by Walmart’s Ed Bonin, director of FSMA transformation at the retail giant, packaging and manufacturing leaders from brand owners Conagra and The Fishin’ Co. described in detail how they’re operationalizing traceability through ERP upgrades, global supplier engagement, and critically, modernizing or reconfiguring their packaging lines to handle the demands of serialized data.

FSMA Rule 204 (part of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act) mandates enhanced traceability for high-risk foods, like fresh produce. While some suppliers are waiting out the delay, Walmart is not. “We made a decision that we’re all in,” said Bonin. “We’re not just checking a regulatory box. We’re committing to something bigger: customer trust, operational efficiency, and supply chain transparency.”

That commitment runs on GS1 standards, including GS1-128 barcodes for product and logistics labeling, Serialized Shipping Container Codes (SSCCs) for pallet-level traceability, Advance Ship Notices (ASNs) via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) for event-based tracking across partners.

These aren’t just backend IT concerns—they are transforming what happens on the packaging line.

FSMA 204 directly impacts packaging operations

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John Gibson, director of manufacturing excellence at Conagra, described the scope of change for his team: “We have new conveyors and labeling equipment. I have to change every single print template for every SKU—both the each and the case.”

New hardware requirements for brands might include variable data printers that can handle serialized barcodes and lot-specific details, upgraded labelers capable of applying dynamic GS1-128 labels in real time, in-line barcode scanners to validate label accuracy before a product moves to the next stage, and integration with vision systems for label presence and correctness checks.

Systems integration is another key. Packaging lines must communicate with ERP or MES systems to retrieve KDEs (Key Data Elements)

like lot number, production date, and source location. Also, dynamic printing logic must be implemented so that every label corresponds precisely to the product inside the case or on the pallet.

Finally, there’s work to be done in change management and retraining. Line operators must be retrained on variable data printing and exception handling. New SOPs are required for managing labeling

exceptions or scan failures, and quality assurance teams must collaborate with packaging leads to ensure labels meet both regulatory and retail-specific requirements.

Traceability from pond to pallet

Keith Flett, Sr. director of sustainability at The Fishin’ Co., explained how FSMA Rule 204 formalized what his team had already been pursuing for a decade under sustainability goals. “We’re able to track the soy that goes into our feed, that goes into our fish, that then goes to our processor, and on to the retailer,” he said.

Fishin’ Co. uses a process it calls CUPS (Collect, Upload, Push, and Store) to manage traceability data across global partners. But a major operational challenge came from getting data out of paper-based systems overseas and into digital formats that their ERP system could use for label generation.

His packaging team had to standardize data entry formats to ensure consistent printing logic, retrofit equipment at contract manufacturers overseas with new labelers and scanners, and use EPCIS protocols where applicable to maintain compatibility across partners.

Traceability as a business enabler

For both panelists being interviewed by Walmart’s Bonin, traceability was more than a mandate, it was a performance tool.

“We’re targeting waste reduction and tighter inventory control,” said Gibson. “We can focus our improvement efforts, prevent quality issues

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Why Sunrise 2027, 2D Barcodes, Won’t be Optional for Brands

Sunrise 2027 is an industry-wide initiative led by GS1 US to transition from traditional 1D barcodes (like the UPC) to 2D barcodes (such as QR codes or Data Matrix), which are capable of holding much more data. These 2D codes can carry dynamic, serialized, and contextual information—including GTINs, expiration dates, batch/lot numbers, and URLs—while still being scannable at retail point-of-sale (POS) checkouts. This shift will enable better inventory control, traceability, recall management, consumer engagement, and more. For food, beverage, and CPG brands, the implications extend beyond checkout: 2D barcodes will transform packaging into a smarter data carrier, connecting physical products with digital intelligence.

Mandates, by any other name

A central question among brand owners has been whether 2D barcodes will be required or voluntary. Chuck Lasley, CTO at Dillard’s, answered this at GS1 US’s Amplify event: “We’re going to give you a minimum requirement. But what you choose to add, in addition to that, is entirely up to you.” Those minimums? At the very least, a GTIN, a serial number, and ideally a brand URL. These data elements must be encoded to the GS1 Digital Link standard—a standardized, machine-readable way of packing structured data into a 2D code.

“If you’re doing it just because we sent you a letter, you’re missing the boat,” Lasley said adding that for brands, 2D barcodes are “a competitive advantage.”

While Dillard’s isn’t a grocery or personal care retailer, Packaging World editors see the broader industry reality. While 2D barcodes may not be legislated mandates, retail compliance requirements might become de facto mandates, whether that’s Dillard’s or grocery retailers who deal with faster-moving consumer goods (see Wegmans consideration of a mandate letter on page 170). As soon as a major retailer requires them for shelf space, brands will either comply or risk losing distribution.

The transition period

Lasley presented an image of transitional tags showing three phases: (1) a traditional 1D barcode only, (2) both 1D and 2D barcodes on the same hang tag, and (3) a future state with just a 2D code (See image on page 184). During the transition, both barcodes will be needed—but placement matters. “If you have too much separation between those barcodes,” he warned, “you may read that as two separate items… double ring that item.” GS1 recommends placing both codes within 50 mm to prevent such errors, especially in high-speed grocery check outs.

Lasley shared that he scanned one product hang tag with six data carriers on it: two UPCs, two QR codes, a Data Matrix, and an RFID tag. “I think we can probably reduce that,” he joked. His vision: consolidate to a single 2D code (for digital content and traceability) and, if needed, a complementary RFID tag.

Unlike RFID, which adds a per-unit cost, 2D barcodes consolidate data needs and consumer engagement features without additional hardware. For brands using multiple stickers or on-pack labels (e.g., one for the UPC, another for product info, and yet another for a marketing QR code), 2D represents an opportunity to simplify packaging, reduce clutter, and cut material costs.

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What Dillard’s vendor brands should encode

The suite of requirements is likely to vary by product. For instance, food likely will need expiration data, personal care products might need batch, etc. But Lasley was explicit about what Dillard’s wants in the 2D codes on its shelves. The retailer will want GTIN Application Identifier (AI) 01 for product identity, a serial number (AI 21) for unit-level traceability, fraud prevention, and omni-channel data integrity. Finally, it will want 2D barcodes to be encoded with the brandowned URL for consumer experience, dynamic messaging, or recall visibility.

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He emphasized that while the QR printed on pack is static, the URL it links to can be dynamic. This allows the brand to update messaging, show new videos, trigger location-based offers, or issue recall instructions—after the item has shipped, stocked on shelf, or purchased.

Get it right the first time

Lasley shared a cautionary tale: his team encoded its own private-label items with a 13-digit GTIN instead of the required 14 digits. Its own point-of-sale system rejected the products. “We kicked out our own merchandise,” he admitted. The lesson: test early, test often, and don’t assume tag providers understand GS1 standards without explicit direction.

While Dillard’s focus is apparel, Lasley’s insights are highly relevant for CPGs. Food and beverage brands face even faster POS environments, shorter shelf lives, and more complex regulatory requirements. By embedding additional fields like expiration date (AI 17) and batch/lot (AI 10), brands can enable real-time traceability for recalls, drive replenishment intelligence, and build trust with consumers via transparency. Brands also should test POS systems for double scans and validate scanner behavior in grocery lanes.

“If you’re doing it just because we sent you a [mandate] letter, you’re missing the boat,” Lasley concluded. He urged brands to think bigger: about supply chain optimization, loss prevention, personalization, and more. “That’s the competitive advantage,” he said. “That’s what you’re going to have to figure out that makes your company better by using this technology.”

For brands in food, beverage, personal care, and household goods, Sunrise 2027 isn’t just a barcode update—it’s a new digital foundation. Those who approach it as a packaging challenge will be compliant. But those who see it as a brand strategy will be ahead of the curve. —Matt Reynolds

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Packaging Equipment Suppliers Want Brands to Start Preparing for Sunrise 2027

The global shift from 1D UPC barcodes to 2D data-rich codes known as Sunrise 2027 is coming into focus, but many brand owners and CPGs are still grappling with what it means for their packaging operations. For printing and coding equipment suppliers, the message is not to panic, but not to wait, either.

“Everybody wants more data. Everybody wants more information about their products, in their products,” said Mark Boksa, NA sales director, Markem-Imaje. “So it’s something that is going to happen and continue to follow that trend, but it’s going to be a crawl, walk, run type of method before we get there.”

For Boksa, the key challenges brand owners need to anticipate are real estate on the package and the mechanics of printing: “Marketing doesn’t want to give up any type of space. So what do you end up doing? What do you sacrifice? Once you have an understanding that you can do it, the question becomes: how do you physically put that barcode on the product? The size of the code depends on the data you embed, and that affects the speeds you can print at. Nobody wants to go slower, everybody wants to go faster.”

Michael Sawyer, product marketing manager, Domino, urges brands not to delay. “The most important thing that brands need to know is that it’s time to start thinking about Sunrise 2027, and making sure that you’re ready for two-dimensional barcodes. If you’re thinking, ‘Hey, it’s something I hadn’t even thought of’—well, now’s the time to start.”

Sawyer emphasized that this isn’t just a packaging issue, but a data issue as well. “Obviously, you’ve got to start with the data. That’s always the place to start. Consider your vendors. Work with your partners. Make sure they understand what needs to go into the barcode—for traceability, for consumer interaction, for marketing and provenance. We have customers interested in Amazon Transparency, and making sure products aren’t counterfeited. That 2D code is what gives consumers assurance.”

From Videojet, Tom Barnes, director of brand protection & regulatory compliance, echoed the need for urgency—tempered with reassurance. “Don’t panic. It’s not a legal deadline that’s going to hit you over the head. But you have time, and you should start to prepare now, because it is a confusing topic. Luckily, there are solution providers like us that can help you with this journey. It needs to be a consultation process.”

Barnes added that brands should assess current capabilities: “Printing a QR code rather than a best-before date may involve some printing and software changes. But you have time, and there are people here that understand it and can help.”

Daniel Brandao, sales director at Wipotec, reinforced the technical implications: “The biggest change that all packagers are going to see is they’ll no longer have that UPC code, and instead will be printing in-line a variable data matrix that includes lot number, expiration date, and other application identifiers retailers are looking for. That’s going to be subject to each production run.”

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His advice? Evaluate your systems now. “The previous methods of marking might not be suitable anymore. Even with uncertainties from retailers, doing an upgrade sooner than later is a good step. It gets you accustomed to the process, allows you to make some tests, and helps you stay flexible when mandates start coming down.” PW

Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico Shows Packaging’s Frontline Role in 2D Barcode Ascendency

While the barcode itself celebrates 51 years of service, its next evolution is just getting underway. At GS1 Connect 2025, leadership from CocaCola and Schnuck Markets shared a refreshingly grounded view of the industry’s shift from traditional 1D barcodes to 2D barcodes, a journey embodied by Coca-Cola’s 2025 Topo Chico Passionfruit launch.

And the message for packaging pros is not to panic—but don’t stand still, either.

“It’s not a switch to flip,” said Ryan Vann, senior director of data governance, supply chain at The Coca-Cola Company. “It’s more like a dial that we’re going to be turning slowly. 1D barcodes aren’t going away anytime soon.”

Why Topo Chico?

Coca-Cola’s initial move toward 2D barcodes wasn’t applied across its flagship Coca-Cola or Sprite brands. Instead, it started small—strategically—with Topo Chico Sabores Passionfruit, a national launch that provided a controlled testing environment.

“This is where the magic happens,” Vann said, referring to the Topo Chico illustrated below. “What you’re seeing is a real package, not a simulation. The QR code on back is already something we’ve had in-

market for SmartLabel [by Consumer Brands Association]—consumer transparency. All we did was change the syntax so that it could also work for retail scanning.”

This dual-functionality approach meant the existing QR code still linked to SmartLabel for consumers but now included the GS1 Digital Link with an embedded GTIN using Application Identifier (AI) 01—the specific flag Schnucks’ scanners are trained to detect for price lookup at point of sale.

Vann emphasized how even this relatively simple change took effort across internal teams.

“We had to intercept our normal innovation process,” he explained. “We had to manually generate the new GS1-compatible URL and insert it into the packaging development process. That meant engaging our graphics services, SmartLabel, and data teams—not to mention syncing with retail partners on their testing timelines. It sounds simple, but it’s not plug-and-play.”

Speed a bottleneck for big brands

One of the most revealing moments came when Vann discussed Coca-Cola’s production speed challenges. While QR codes may seem

ready for primetime, the variable data requirements for batch, lot, or expiry—printed in-line at Coca-Cola scale—remain a technological hurdle.

“I want a dynamic QR code that’s printing batch and lot at the speeds in which we produce our products,” he said. “But it’s not there yet. The technology isn’t ready, especially with printing. So our approach is about laying the right foundation now for future capabilities.”

Instead of embedding complex, variable data, CocaCola is starting with GTIN-level data—the minimum needed for Sunrise 2027 compliance—and building from there. Vann reiterated that the company is using upcoming innovation launches as the natural entry point, rather than retrofitting existing packaging.

“Our QR codes on-pack today won’t change behind the scenes. If I want to change the syntax, I have to change the code itself,” he said. “That means it’s a forward-looking effort. Our goal is that all new innovation launching in 2026 is Sunrise 2027 ready.”

Retailers like Schnucks need precision, not surprises

On the retail side, Mike Wait, director of IT store technologies at Schnuck Markets, emphasized the need for deliberate testing. His team has already been working with GS1 DataBar for internal brands, which gave it a head start. But even so, things didn’t always go smoothly.

Coca-Cola’s Ryan Vann emphasizes that the move to on-pack 2D barcodes won’t be like flipping a switch, rather will be more like gradually turning a dial.

“We got the firmware installed. We got the POS system reading the new 2D barcodes. We cheered in the lab—it worked!” said Wait. “Then we scanned some other items. Suddenly our older barcodes stopped reading. It broke other things.”

The problem? Some manufacturers were placing QR codes too close to the linear UPC codes—creating confusion for the scanner. And Schnucks’ POS system needed to distinguish between GS1-compliant 2D barcodes and any other random QR codes.

“We had to go back and tell the system to prefer the GS1 Digital Link version of the 2D barcode,” Wait said. “And if that wasn’t available, default back to 1D.”

Self-checkout introduced new complexity. If a 2D code remained in the scanner’s field of view after being scanned, it could trigger a double scan—charging the customer twice for one item.

“Those edge cases are real,” Wait said. “You don’t find them until you start live testing in the real world. That’s why our rollout will be laneby-lane, store-by-store.”

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A coordinated rollout, not a fire drill

Schnucks plans to start with a few pilot lanes, then expand to whole stores. If no major issues emerge after a few months, broader enterprise rollout will follow. Fortunately, firmware upgrades can be pre-installed and remotely activated when ready, giving Schnucks more flexibility and control.

“We want to make sure it’s right,” said Wait. “I do not want any disruption to our customers or our teammates.”

For its part, Coca-Cola is using this early phase to prepare internally—not just for retail, but also for supply chain visibility.

“We work with over 60 bottlers in the U.S.,” Vann said. “I’m looking at how we can use the same data syntax on concentrate packaging or even internally to track movement and quality. There’s real potential inside our franchise network.”

Lessons for CPGs

If there was one consistent theme, it was this: you don’t need to be perfect to start. Coca-Cola admitted to missing a detail during the Topo Chico pilot—publishing a legacy image with an outdated QR code that failed to scan. The error was caught only during prep for the GS1 presentation.

“That was a miss,” said Vann. “We had to go back and re-upload the correct QR images. But that’s what pilots are for.”

The session’s moderator offered this summation: “It’s not about stopping the presses. It’s about building 2D capabilities into future packaging refreshes—and testing them with partners before you go wide.”

For brands and packaging engineers, this transition will touch every phase of package design—from print quality and inkjet performance to graphics layout, symbol spacing, and data strategy.

Key technical considerations include:

• Maintaining a 50-mm or shorter distance between 1D and 2D codes to prevent double scans.

• Ensuring on-pack codes resolve to the correct data, whether for POS systems or consumer engagement.

• Leveraging existing QR code infrastructure where possible (e.g., SmartLabel), but adjusting syntax to meet GS1 Digital Link standards.

“The biggest surprise for me was realizing just how many syntax decisions I had to make myself,” said Vann. “GS1 gives you guidance, but ultimately, someone on your team has to know what goes where—and why.”

Turn the dial now

Coca-Cola and Schnucks are not finished. But they’ve started. And that’s the real takeaway for CPGs. Even if you don’t have your printing lines ready for variable batch/lot QR codes at full speed, you can begin embedding the GTIN. You can test your scanner logic. You can validate proximity standards.

“The move to 2D barcodes is coming. Retailers need it. Consumers want it. But the infrastructure takes time,” said Vann. “What we don’t want is to start getting ready in 2027. That’s too late.” —Matt Reynolds

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Sunrise 2027, Amazon’s Transparency Program, Rewrite Product Packaging Rules

The countdown to Sunrise 2027 is on. By that date, a new standard is expected to take hold in retail and e-commerce environments: the 2D barcode will join and potentially replace the traditional 1D UPC on product packaging. But for brands selling on Amazon—and increasingly across other retail channels—the future is already here.

Amazon’s Transparency program, which requires brands to apply serialized 2D Data Matrix codes to their products, is helping brand owners do much more than just comply. It’s helping them combat counterfeiting, prevent gray market activity, reduce retail theft, and build deeper consumer trust—all through smart packaging.

“This creates tremendous off-Amazon value, and we get to do Transparency,” said Michael Manley, global head of Technical Business Development at Amazon. “So it’s a win-win all the way across the supply chain. Now it’s a serial number that can be used for parent/child and all of the track and trace use cases… You talk about this vision of track and trace—how do you do it? Where do you start? This is where you start.”

The mechanics of Transparency

At its core, Amazon Transparency is a proactive anti-counterfeit system. It requires brand owners—who must first be enrolled in Amazon’s Brand Registry—to assign a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) to their products. Amazon then generates a unique, 26-character alphanumeric serial number for each item, which must be physically applied to the product using a 2D Data Matrix code.

Amazon scans every unit at outbound, whether it’s shipped from

an Amazon Fulfillment Center (FC) or through a third-party via the Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN). “If [a code] is not matching the description, and there’s no serial number associated, it will be sidelined, investigated, and destroyed,” explained Nick Viskovich, global head of sales, Consumer Electronics for Amazon. “It will never make it to a customer.”

For packaging and operations teams, the central question becomes: how do you apply serialized 2D codes at scale? Amazon offers three models:

• Work with a Transparency service provider that prints and ships serialized labels within 48 hours.

• Integrate 2D codes into existing packaging artwork via converters that support variable data printing.

• Feed Amazon brand-owned serial numbers through API or SFTP, using internal systems already in place for QA or traceability.

Manley noted the packaging implications: “That requires that your printing provider has variable data capability. We’ve been building out that network for years.” But there are tradeoffs: variable data can slow line speeds or increase print complexity, and not all converters are ready. Still, the flexibility is key for brands of all sizes and packaging systems.

Brand benefits beyond Amazon

While Transparency was built to protect Amazon’s marketplace, panelists emphasized that it delivers direct advantages to brands—benefits that go well beyond compliance.

For starters, serialized 2D barcodes communicate. “Brands are using

Nick Viskovich (left) and Michael Manley (center) of Amazon detail how on-pack 2D barcodes underpin anti-counterfeiting and validation efforts used by the company’s Transparency initiative in a panel moderated by GS1 US’s Andrew Moorhead (right).

our 2D codes to tell stories,” said Viskovich. “They can include sustainability efforts, sourcing details, and customer engagement content— right on the package.” Consumers can scan using the Amazon app to verify authenticity and access that information.

Transparency also helps prevent unintentional gray market activity, such as selling a version of a product intended for a different market or language region. By mapping products at the GTIN level and labeling each unit individually, the system ensures that what’s ordered is exactly what’s delivered.

The impact on retail theft may be the most exciting development. With item-level serialization, Amazon can flag units that were never scanned out at a retailer’s POS—indicating possible theft—and take

action. “We ask for an invoice, we sideline that inventory, and our Counterfeit Crimes Unit gets involved,” said Viskovich. “These are former FBI and Interpol folks—we’re building real cases.”

He added, “Our customers at Transparency are brand owners, and then the end consumer. When they ask, ‘Why should we invest in a system created by Amazon?’—this is why. It’s solving a real-world problem.”

Aligning with Sunrise 2027

The goals of Amazon’s Transparency program and the industry-wide Sunrise 2027 initiative are increasingly aligned. As retailers prepare to scan and interpret 2D codes at checkout, Transparency provides an early model of what’s possible—and how brands can lead the transition.

“I control the specs for Transparency,” said Manley, “and I like specs that everybody can comply with. When I saw Sunrise 2027 supports serialization and batch/lot—and all we had to do was support the URL—I thought, ‘This is it. Now we have a code that provides tremendous value off Amazon too.’”

For packaging teams, this means every 2D barcode becomes a multifunction label for brand protection, consumer engagement, inventory tracking, and now retail POS. But it also means pressure to upgrade print capabilities, train suppliers, and ensure artwork can accommodate new formats—all while preserving line speeds.

“This is about empowering brands,” said Viskovich. “We’re not just scanning boxes—we’re helping you protect your product, your brand, and your customers.”

—Matt Reynolds

How Wakefern Uses Off-Pack Data to Serve Wellness-Driven Shoppers

Shoppers today aren’t just looking for food—they’re looking for alignment with their wellness goals. According to NielsenIQ research shared at GS1 Connect, 69% of American consumers say they’re willing to pay more to eat healthy, and 62% cite healthfulness as a key driver of food and beverage purchases. For retailers like Wakefern Food Corp, which has a stable of its own brands, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: helping shoppers navigate the aisle and the app to find products that meet their needs.

“Customers are looking for items that help them live their lifestyle,” said Jessica Moorhead, data governance manager at Wakefern. “They want to make informed choices, especially when it comes to health.”

To meet this demand, Wakefern has built a robust data governance framework—one that turns packaging content into structured, searchable, and shoppable information.

From paper to pack-driven data

Wakefern’s data transformation started with a familiar pain point: unreliable manual input. “We used to create items using paper forms,” Moorhead explained. “It was prone to errors, delays, and inconsistencies.”

Wakefern moved toward more automated systems, starting with ingestion from the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), then adding image validation, and ultimately adopting a fully automated process with NielsenIQ Brandbank. Today, all new items require Brandbank digital content before they can be entered into Wakefern’s system.

This shift enables Wakefern to extract validated information directly from packaging and use that data across both e-commerce and physical stores.

Packaging is the source of truth

At Wakefern, packaging is no longer just a billboard—it’s a data source.

“Packaging is central to our process,” Moorhead said. “We extract nutrition panels, claims, certifications, and even lifestyle imagery. It helps us support our customers both online and in-store.”

Using Brandbank’s tools, Wakefern turns these pack details into structured product attributes, enabling dietary filters like “low sodium,” “vegan,” or “gluten free.” These can be applied across shelf tags, digital kiosks, and mobile apps, enriching the customer experience and aiding in product discovery.

The illustration below demonstrates how Wakefern maps icons like “no added sugar” and “diabetic friendly” to physical packaging and then digitizes those icons for search and filter functions.

A unified content source for brand owners

Moorhead emphasized that this system only works if brand owners contribute accurate, updated pack content. “All new items must be in the Brandbank library,” she said. “If your pack changes, we need to recapture that information.”

We’re turning packaging into digital value. When brands share rich, accurate pack data, we can deliver better experiences.

This is where packaging and data governance intersect. “Your packaging updates aren’t just a creative refresh—they’re an opportunity to signal health attributes and support consumer choice,” she said.

Moorhead encouraged suppliers to think of digital content as part of the packaging lifecycle. “If you’re reformulating or refreshing a label, that change needs to flow through to your content library. We want to ensure what’s online is a true reflection of what’s in your customer’s cart.

Results

Wakefern’s commitment to packaging-derived data has paid off across multiple dimensions.

• Operational efficiency: Automation reduced manual labor and validation errors.

• Customer satisfaction: Shoppers find products that match their dietary needs quickly and confidently.

• Brand alignment: Suppliers can showcase their health and sustainability claims consistently across platforms.

As Moorhead summed up: “We’re turning packaging into digital value. When brands share rich, accurate pack data, we can deliver better experiences—and that’s what today’s shopper expects.” —Matt Reynolds

LIQUID NITROGEN DOSING

Pressurize for stability. Reduce oxygen for greater shelf-life.

• Extreme precision

• Field-proven performance

• Experienced, worldwide service team

NITRODOSE® NITRODOSE®G3 Servodoser™

Counting and Filling System

NJM’s CFE tablet counter is a compact and precise solid-dose counting and lling system designed for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers and contract packers that integrates NJM’s bottle handling and controls with Cremer counting technology. Booth N-5900 NJM, a ProMach product brand pwgo.to/8870

Automated Material Handling and Conveying System

This system from the Grote Company family of brands features integrated robotics for product loading and unloading from pans, incorporating PFI laning conveyors and vibratory hoppers, SPI Automation robotics and tooling, and ProFab hoppers and elevator conveyors to streamline operations and increase ef ciency. Booth N-6142 Grote Company pwgo.to/8873

TECHNOLOGY

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Automatic Depalletizer

Ska Fabricating’s Full Height Automatic (FHA) 5000 is designed to unload pallets weighing up to 4,000 lbs., speci cally handling glass bottles or jars, and features tool-less changeovers and a user-friendly touchscreen that allows up to 20 products presets. Booth W-4050

Ska Fabricating pwgo.to/8869

Case Packing System

Combination Caseweighing System

Fortress Technology’s compact Raptor BBK Combination system integrates a Stealth BBK metal detector with a heavy-duty checkweigher and reject conveyor to inspect larger and heavier products for metal contaminants and weight accuracy. Booth W-3670 Fortress Technology pwgo.to/8861

Somic Packaging’s 434 SuperFlex, designed to meet diverse retail packaging demands, particularly variability, is a compact and versatile machine that sorts, aligns, groups, and packs various products into diverse carton and case con gurations. Booth SU-26023

Somic Packaging pwgo.to/8864

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Next-Gen 2D Codes

Markem-Imaje supports 2D codes using GS1 Digital Link to consolidate various product information into a single, scannable code with an aim to enhance production ef ciency, improve supply chain transparency, streamline inventory management, and boost brand loyalty. Booth W-2010 Markem-Imaje pwgo.to/8865

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

Harsh Washdown Inspection System

Eagle’s Pack 400 HC for meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products simultaneously performs contaminant detection, mass measurement, component counting, and seal integrity checks using SimulTask PRO software in a compact, cleanable and accessible design. Booth N-7610

Eagle Product Inspection pwgo.to/8875

Plunger Rod Insertion and Labeling Systems

WLS introduces the PR-12 and PR-24 systems for prefilled syringes, which feature Automated Torque Regulation (ATR) technology for precise plunger rod insertion and high-speed labeling in a single, compact unit. Booth W-1152

WLS, a ProMach product brand pwgo.to/8863

TECHNOLOGY

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Horizontal Flow Wrapper

Campbell Wrapper’s Revolution features a washdown design, quick changeover components, compatibility with sustainable packaging materials like Amcor’s AmFiber, and advanced servo technology for high-speed, hygienic packaging. Booth W-2500

Campbell Wrapper Corporation pwgo.to/8856

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Shelf-ready Case Erect–Load–Close Solution

System

CT Pack’s MCS uses magnetic levitation for maximum precision, efficiency, flexibility, and speed in dosing and packing various types of minibites and small-sized products into cups or boxes, offering tool-less changeovers and zero maintenance. Booth SU-29025

CT Pack pwgo.to/8877

EasyD integrates a full wraparound box design with BPA’s Wraparound 200 case packer to erect, load, and close various case styles on a single hygienic line, offering processors savings on corrugated and enhanced efficiency for supermarket shelf-ready displays. Booth W-2230

BluePrint Automation (BPA) pwgo.to/8859

Automated Bakery Packaging Line

Syntegon’s fully automated packaging line for waffles and other baked goods addresses labor shortages by using a Stacking FIT infeed for gentle handling, a Pack 202 mid-speed flow wrapper for secure packaging, and a Kliklok MagTRAC collation system and Kliklok BEC for cartooning. Booth W-1164

Syntegon pwgo.to/8889

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Magnetic Carrier

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

Automated Packing System

Standard-Knapp’s FlexLine packages oddly shaped stick products—like snacks, confectionery, and pet food, which often are packed into cartons by hand—at speeds up to 40,000 units per hour, while its compact design seamlessly integrates into existing production lines. Booth W-2110

Standard-Knapp Company pwgo.to/8867

Depalletizer

A-B-C’s flexible Model 108 depalletizer runs glass, plastic, composite, and metal containers in many styles— interchangeably, with no change parts—ensuring high performance through features like layer stabilization and four-side container control. Booth W-1900

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corporation pwgo.to/8868

R.A Jones’ compact Alterion CL-170 is a mid-speed, end-load cartoner engineered for small and mid-sized operations that provides flexibility and cost-effectiveness for a wide range of industries without requiring extensive automation. Booth W-1064

R.A Jones, a Coesia company pwgo.to/8891

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Hand-load Cartoner

BOARD KEMI

We’re the Original Kemi™ Liner

KemiTM liners, Metsä Board’s premium white top kraftliners, have played a significant role in the evolution of corrugated packaging in the Americas. Known for their superior printing surface and high performance, KemiTM liners are a coated white top kraftliner that revolutionized the corrugated packaging industry by combining performance with visual branding.

KemiTM liners, then known as Kemiart, were launched in the American market in 1991. Innovation continued introducing double coated white kraftliner in 2011. Most recently, in 2023, the Kemi mill underwent further developments to increase its capacity to 465,000 tons, while enhancing energy and water efficiency.

At 465,000 tons, our facility is now the world's largest production plant for coated white-top kraftliner.

Customers worldwide specifically request "Kemi" when they mean our first-class white kraftliners such as MetsäBoard Classic WKL, MetsäBoard Pro WKL and MetsäBoard Prime WKL.

With a legacy spanning over five decades, Metsä Board will continue to help set the standard for excellence in packaging, allowing every box to tell a story of quality and sustainability.

Growth, with a future

Plastic-free Fiber Bottle

Suitable for dry goods and liquids, the Papacks Fiber-Bottle, composed entirely of cellulose fibers and 100% recyclable, is an alternative to traditional plastic containers that eliminates the need for plastic linings or caps and significantly reduces CO2 emissions. Booth N-5172

Papacks pwgo.to/8866

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Inspection and Leak Detection System

Antares Vision Group’s VRI VI-060S is a 100% visual rotating machine that utilizes high-voltage technology and a dual-carousel system to examine prefilled syringes for damage, particles, leaks, fill level, and cosmetic defects at speeds up to 400 per minute. Booth N-5844

Antares Vision Group pwgo.to/8872

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas Robotic Palletizing Cell with AMR Integration

Focus Integration’s Cube robotic palletizing cell, paired with Kuka’s KMP 600P AMR, offers an intelligent, fenceless solution for automated palletizing and depalletizing, designed to simplify operations and navigate compact production environments. Booth W-3444

Kuka Robotics Focus Integration pwgo.to/8862

At PACK EXPO Las Vegas

Companies

Colbert Packaging achieves certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

The Contract Packaging Association (CPA) and the Foundation for Supply Chain Solutions (F4SS) merge, creating a comprehensive network for food and CPG contract manufacturers and brand owners.

Yaskawa America Inc. announces an investment of at least $180 million to consolidate its operations and relocate its North American headquarters to Franklin, Wis.

Coesia acquires Autoware, a manufacturing software integrator based in Italy.

Conveyco and Hai Robotics partner to integrate Hai Robotics’ HaiPick Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems into Conveyco’s material handling solutions.

Accumulation

Modular, pre-engineered solutions, built-to-last using in-stock components for a quick turn-around.

UPM Raflatac rebrands as UPM Adhesive Materials as it expands beyond label materials, which will remain under the Raflatac name, and into graphic solutions and specialty tapes.

As part of its 75th-anniversary pledge, Michelman fulfills its $750,000 global philanthropic commitment, distributing contributions to over 100 non-profit organizations with a focus on community support, STEM education, and sustainability initiatives.

Arden Software donates 50 licenses of its Impact Designer Professional software to the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) for use at Indiana State University.

Avery Dennison and Bold Reuse launch a pilot program that utilizes RFID technology to track reusable cups throughout their lifecycle at the Moda Center (Portland Trail Blazers’ stadium) and Providence Park (home of the Portland Timbers and Thorns).

People

CJ Biomaterials appoints Allan (Hyuk Sung) Chung as chief executive officer, succeeding Harry Jang

Enercon promotes Mike McConnell to vice president of sales and Jessica Toellner to sales director of cap sealing.

Henkel appoints Rajat Agarwal, the corporate vice president of packaging for Henkel Adhesive Technologies, as the president of its North America region.

Kevin Metz is promoted to southeast regional director of Beckhoff USA, succeeding Steve Rastberger, who is retiring.

Hugo Beck appoints Simon Beck and Jonas Beck, the founder’s grandsons, as managing directors, signifying the third generation of family leadership as Timo Kollmann departs and Curt-Juergen Raiser prepares for retirement.

Cassel Inspection US hires Bryan Minor as product and application support manager and expands the role of ALPS Inspection GM Jill Shearer to serve also as manager on the Cassel Inspection U.S. team.

In Memoriam

Conveyor Designed by

Dr. Karl Busch, the co-founder of Busch Vacuum Solutions, who alongside his wife transformed a 5,000 Deutsche Mark startup in 1963 into a global enterprise with over $2 billion in revenue and more than 8,000 employees worldwide, passed away on July 17, 2025, at the age of 96.

Busch Vacuum Solutions www.buschusa.com

Cyklop www.inkjetinc.com

Delkor Systems, Inc. www.delkorsystems.com 110, 111

Dorner Mfg. Corp. www.dornerconveyors.com

As we celebrate 30 years of PACK EXPO Las Vegas, PMMI proudly honors the PMMI Member Companies who exhibited at the inaugural 1995 show and continue to exhibit with us at this year’s event. Thank you for your support!

A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp.

Accutek Packaging Equipment Co., Inc.

Advanced Poly-Packaging, Inc.

All Packaging Machinery Corp.

All-Fill, Inc.

American Packaging Machinery, Inc.

AMS Filling Systems, Inc.

Auger Fabrication, Inc.

Auto Labe

Avery Dennison

Banner Engineering Corp.

Batching Systems, Inc.

BELL-MARK

BluePrint Automation (BPA)

BW Packaging

CMCO Conveyance Solutions

Coesia Group

Columbia Machine, Inc.

Conflex Incorporated

Cousins Packaging Inc

Decker Tape Products, Inc.

Del Packaging, LTD

Diagraph Marking & Coding, an ITW Company

Domino North America

Douglas Machine Inc.

Dow

Duravant

Eagle Flexible Packaging

Eastey

Econocorp, Inc.

Elmar Industries, Inc.

Emerson Discrete Automation Group

E-PAK Machinery, Inc.

Fallas Automation, Inc.

Felins, Inc.

Formost Fuji Corporation

FOX IV Technologies, Inc.

General Packaging Equipment Co.

Greener Corporation

Harpak-ULMA Packaging, LLC

Haumiller Engineering

Heat and Control, Inc.

Heisler Industries, Inc.

Highlight Industries

IMA North America Inc.

ITW Hartness

Kaps-All Packaging Systems Inc.

Key International, Inc.

KHS USA, Inc.

Kiwi Coders Corporation

KRONES

Label-Aire, Inc.

Lantech

Laub/Hunt Packaging Systems

Markem-Imaje

MARQ Packaging Systems, Inc.

Massman Companies

Matthews Marking Systems

McBrady Engineering, Inc.

METTLER TOLEDO

Morrison Container Handling Solutions

Murzan, Inc.

Nercon Conveyor Systems

NJM Packaging

Oden Machinery, Inc.

OK International Corp.

Omega Design Corporation

Osgood Industries, LLC

PAC Machinery

Pacmac, Inc.

Pacteon Group

PDC International Corporation

Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc.

Per-Fil Industries, Inc.

PFM Packaging Machinery Corp.

Phoenix Engineering

Piab Inc.

Polypack, Inc

Potdevin Machine Co.

Premier Tech Systems and Automation

Prodo-pak Corporation

ProMach, Inc.

ProSys Fill LLC

Quadrel Labeling Systems

Raque Food Systems, Inc.

REB/Quality Cup

Regal Rexnord Corporation

Reiser

Rockwell Automation

Romaco Group

Ropak Manufacturing Co., Inc.

Ross Industries, Inc.

ROVEMA North America, Inc.

SACMI USA Group

SencorpWhite

Serac Inc

Shibuya Hoppmann

SMC Corporation of America

Solbern Inc.

Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery, Inc.

Starview Packaging Machinery Inc.

SUREKAP, LLC

Syntegon Packaging Technology

System Packaging

Tawi USA, Inc.

Teledyne TapTone

Telesonic PAK, LLC

TOPPAN Packaging

Triangle Package Machinery Co.

Turck Inc.

U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission, LLC

Videojet Technologies Inc.

WeighPack Systems, Inc. / Paxiom

Winpak

World Cup Packaging

Yaskawa America, Inc.,

Drives & Motion Division

Certified Trainer

Being a great trainer goes beyond knowing the equipment. PMMI’s Certified Trainer Workshop is tailored for the packaging and processing industry, equipping trainers with techniques and skills to engage learners at every level.

SEPTEMBER 29-30, 2025

PACK EXPO Las Vegas; Las Vegas, NV

SheLeads: Navigating Leadership for Women

Enhance your leadership skills to be recognized as an influential leader in the packaging and processing industry through interactive learning, self-awareness tools, and networking strategies.

OCTOBER 21-22, 2025 Chicago, IL

Limited seats are available. Don’t miss this chance to invest in your team’s potential and elevate your company’s success. Register at pmmiu.org

By Jessica Fox, CPPL

Where to Focus Packaging Decarbonization Efforts

As the importance of climate goals grows, companies are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints and limit greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing packaging emissions can help reduce Scope 3 impacts and help companies on their journey to net zero emissions. Packaging decarbonization is the process of reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated at every stage of the package life cycle. The focus areas where packaging can make impactful changes are material reduction, material selection, transportation, and end-of-life.

Let’s examine each of these areas in a bit more detail.

Material reduction

Reducing material is the most straightforward method for reducing packaging emissions, either through using lighter weight materials or reducing the material area. Lightweighting to thinner materials is the least noticeable consumer change but requires extensive testing to make sure performance still meets requirements. While this does not result in dramatic weight changes when multiplied across high volumes, these changes result in significant reductions and cost savings.

Material suppliers are constantly improving their offerings with new high-performance material options with lower weights. Structural design changes to remove material can be minor changes or dramatic redesigns. This can be done through sizing changes, removing materials, or completely changing the packaging style. If the product can be packaged more efficiently or equipment has changed, you may be able to change your packaging designs from when they were first created. Look at options to make slight size reductions, remove flaps, remove an insert or window, change the closure method, or change to display ready packaging.

Material selection

Transportation

Optimizing finished goods and packaging material transportation systems can greatly impact emission reductions. You can reduce trucks and containers with improved pallet efficiency through count changes, size reductions, and nesting. Reducing pallet weights by using less packaging can reduce the overall truck weight and therefore fuel usage. Decreasing shipping distances across the supply chain, from suppliers to manufacturers to end customers, will also reduce fuel usage. Another option to consider is changing to lower-emission transportation types such as rail and electric vehicles.

End-of-life

Reducing packaging emissions can help reduce Scope 3 impacts and help companies on their journey to net zero emissions. Packaging decarbonization is the process of reducing

greenhouse

gas emissions generated at every stage of the package life cycle.

Designing for end-of-life means creating packaging that is actually recyclable or compostable in real-world conditions. Packaging’s endof-life management directly influences its overall carbon footprint. Recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable materials have lower emissions factors where infrastructure is available. Additionally, using recyclable mono-materials will ultimately reduce the amount of virgin materials needed. Most importantly, ensuring that materials are clearly labeled for end-of-life will help simplify recycling for consumers and assist in directing packaging to the correct waste stream. All these focus areas are interconnected and affect each other.

Traditional packaging materials typically come with high carbon footprints due to energy intensive extraction and processing. Switching to lower impact renewable materials can reduce emissions by using paper-based materials or mono-materials. Packaging made from recycled plastics or paper uses less energy during production and produces fewer emissions. Incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) content also diverts material from landfills and reduces virgin material use.

A full Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is the best way to do an in-depth analysis to decide the best overall change options for decarbonization. In the future, many packaging changes will be needed to support these emission reductions, which will be critical to this journey. Packaging will lead the way by driving the design work, identification and testing of changes, production implementation, specification development, and sustainability data tracking. With continued innovation, packaging can make many significant contributions to decarbonization.

As companies align their strategies with climate goals, all these packaging focus areas will play a critical role in reducing packagingrelated emissions and advancing overall sustainability. In addition, these packaging changes can also bring added benefits such as cost reductions, operational efficiencies, supply chain improvements, reductions in EPR fees, and improved brand reputation. PW

The author, Jessica Fox, is the Senior Manager Packaging Engineering at Russell Stover Chocolates and an IoPP Lifetime Certified Packaging Professional. For more information on IoPP, visit www.iopp.org.

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